Operation Happy Note - Bringing the gift of music to our deployed service men and women

SUPPORTERS

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO OUR EFFORTS!
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT!!

Operation Happy Note is fortunate to have many supporters from vendors, musicians, contributors, and many more!

To learn how you can help, visit our Donation page.

Remember all donations are tax deductible.

Here are some of the details of how they have helped us and links to their sites:

Allison Balson

Award Nominated Actress/ Published Singer/Songwriter Allison Balson, best recognized for her portrayal of the adopted “nasty” Nancy Oleson on the television series Little House on the Prairie, began her artistic career when she was five. Allison grew up an army “brat”. Her father was a medical doctor in the Army. She was born at Tripler hospital in Washington, DC, and spent her early childhood with her older brother on the Presidio, where she began to model for the top department stores, MACY’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Broadway and appeared in numerous national commercials, such as M&Ms, Clorox, Minute Maid Orange Juice, Vivitar Camera. By the time Allison was eleven, her family had relocated to Los Angeles, and her acting career expanded in to television and motion pictures. It was in Los Angeles where she landed the lead role of the adopted Oleson girl, Nancy, on the series Little House on the Prairie which quickly garnered Allison international recognition. After Little House, she continued to work in motion pictures and stared alongside Christopher Lloyd in “Legend of the White Horse”, an American/Polish co-production, as well as stared alongside James Woods and Brian Denehey in the Orion thriller “Best Seller”. Allison is fluent in French and graduated valedictorian from the Le Lycee Français high school, and after graduation attended Princeton University. At Princeton, Allison continued to perform with the Triangle Theatricals, and graduated with a BA in English and a certificate in Theater Studies. She continued her education in graduate school, earning a MBA from Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland. It is in Dublin where Allison was musically inspired to not only write music on her guitar but to record an album. Since an early age, Allison played guitar and piano, performed in musical theater and was one of the youngest members of the San Francisco Children’s Opera. She also became a published songwriter at age fifteen with a song in a motion picture soundtrack. Upon returning from Ireland, Allison immediately recorded a short album of several songs she wrote in Dublin, but she knew working with a producer, who changed her vision during the recording process, was not exactly what she wanted to accomplish for a full album. She partnered with guitarist Stone, and under the name Allison and Stone, together wrote, performed, produced, engineered the album titled “first”. Allison maintains an active fan base from her Little House days, and enjoyed a cast reunion a few years ago at the Tombstone Western Film Festival. It was a truly special and emotional reunion, because Allison performed a song she had composed in honor of a mentor and friend, Michael Landon, for her fellow cast mates and fans on the day that marked the tenth anniversary of Michael’s passing. She recently performed a few songs from the album “first” on the morning show “Daybreak OC” and looks forward to more live performances. The Allison and Stone CD has been released on the independent label Organic Time Records, and is available to buy at www.allisonandstone.com. Allison is charitable minded and has raised funds and awareness for the American Heart Association, the American Arthritis Foundation (which she ran a marathon on behalf of), Best Buddies International, and was the junior spokesperson for the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation. Currently, she sits on the Board of the Friends of Greystone.

Allison Balson is thrilled to support the mission of “Operation Happy Note” because Allison believes “Musical instruments are an important part of my life and the lives of so many. An instrument is a tool for emotional release and expression. A song and strums of a guitar can unite hearts and heal minds. It is my hope in donating 15% of each Allison and Stone “first” CD sale to “Operation Happy Note”, that their goal of providing musical instruments to our men and women in uniform continues to be possible and achieved well in to the future.”

Amy Nelson from Paperlicious is donating $1 from all rock'n'roll themed notes.

Thank you Amy you are a great friend to Operation Happy Note.

Former Senator Mark Dayton and staff	Former Senator Mark Dayton made an unplanned visit to Operation Happy Note in Fergus Falls, MN while on a E-85 tour in July of 2005. Dayton looked at pictures and letters received from recipients of guitars from OHN. "This is so incredible," said Dayton afterward hugging Barb. He offered his support and encouragement, saying that he would tell his Senate colleagues about the program. "I am going to tell them that when we talk about supporting the troops, actions speak louder than words, he said "This is the American Spirit. I am humbled by it. These are everyday heroes in Fergus Falls. I think what this love and support means to our service men and women is price-less." This was an article in the Daily Journal July 7, 2005. Senator Dayton also invited Operation Happy Note to his booth at the MN State Fair along with Comfort For Freedom, Gloves For Troops, Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund, Operation Minnesota Nice and Operation Northern Lights organizations supporting our troops, for a press conference to help promote support them.
Bill Mack	One of our first supporters was Bill Mack; he has a satellite radio station out of Fort Worth, Texas called Open Road. I did two interviews on his radio show. He is also a friend of Willie Nelson from whom we received several autographed CD’s and pictures to use for a fundraiser.
MSNBC	MSNBC sent Alison Stewart anchor and producer Sam Singal from New York to spend two days with Operation Happy Note in Sept of 2007. We were then featured on the Brian Williams “Making a Difference” segment of the NBC Nightly News.
Tim Hall & The 3D Infrantry Div.	Tim Hall and The 3^rd Infantry, Baghdad, Iraq sent Operation Happy Note back the guitar that Tim had received, after being autographed by the full 3^rd Infantry. They did this after hearing Steve’s wish to go to Iraq and personally hand out guitars from Operation Happy Note. Needless to say we sent him another guitar. Tim and his friends also made a video that can be found on YouTube.
Keeping it Local	Keeping it Local is a New Organization that works to support our military from their home areas. Keeping it Local along with Dman Entertainment, Jam Shack Studios and centralmnrock.com is hosting a concert on Aug 23, 2008 at Trobec’s in ST. Joseph, MN.
Operation Iraq & Roll	Operation Iraq & Roll brought about by Ron Marr of Blind Doughboy Guitars has sent some wonderful handmade Cigar Box Guitars.
Clarence Mason	Clarence Mason is from Canada, he writes and sings. Clarence sent us some of his CD’s to be sent on to the troops.
The Washington Post	The Washington Post was the newspaper that put us on the map, one day a gentleman by the name of Peter Slevin (The Washington Post Staff writer) walked in and said he had been told he should come ask about Operation Happy Note. Well the rest is history. The next thing you know we were on the front page of The Washington Post, it was June 12,2007 and it changed Operation Happy Note forever.
The Hallmark Channel	The Hallmark Channel aired a documentary on ”New Morning show” with Timberly Whitfield about Operation Happy Note in Oct of 2007.
Universal Music Day Organization	Universal Music Day Organization creates awareness for the importance of sound, silence and vibration known as music. We support each other.
Ernie Ball Strings SHS Audio American Sejung Co.	Ernie Ball Strings, out of California – SHS, out of Indianapolis, IN – American Sejung Co. (ASC) also out of California are Venders that we buy instruments and accessories such as guitars, violins, mandolins and ukuleles, strings, tuners and straps from. They always try and give us the best deals.
Volkswagon of America	Volkswagon of America along with First Act donated 250 electric guitars.
TalkingTabs (guitar lessons)	Mark Hara president and founder of Talking Tabs, an Audio lesson plan located in Florida donated 2500 of these lesson CD’s.
Alfred Publishing & Daisy Rock Guitars	Alfred Publishing & Daisy Rock Guitars sent a gorgeous yellow electric guitar to Operation Happy Note. Daisy Rock Guitars are guitars made just for girls.
Menasha Packaging	Menasha Packaging of Lakeview MN has donated 682 shipping boxes. These boxes are custom made to fit the different instruments we ship.
The Band Phoenix Rising	Kathy Boyd and Phoenix Rising a Blue Grass Band from the West Coast held a benefit in Tualatin, Or. They raised $250.00 and two brand new Fender acoustic guitars.
The Monterey Elementary School, Monterey, IN	Many schools have held fundraisers such as The Monterey Elementary School from Monterey, Indiana. They are a school of 160 students and they raised $251.48 as a service project for OHN.
The Michigan Blue Grass Assoc.	Raised $746.26 for OHN
The Sons of the American Legion	The Sons of the American Legion in Arlington Heights, Illinois raised $1070.00 of OHN.
Anonymous Donation	A gentleman who has asked to remain anonymous showed up at our door with 385 guitars, amps, gig bags, and accessories.
Celebrities	We have received several autographed items from musicians such as a t-shirt from Sugarland, and a guitar autographed by Toby Keith.
Concerts and Benefits	There have been many concerts and benefits around the country in support of Operation Happy Note. These people have donated their time and efforts: Just a few of them are Susan Hurley and friends from Connecticut. They held a fundraiser called Instruments of Hope in Pawcatuck, CT in which they and took in 49 instruments, including guitars, keyboards, horns of all kinds and raised $2700.
Schools, Clubs, Churches, Bands and Individuals	There are just too many Great Americans to list at this time, the Schools, Service Community Clubs, Churches, Companies, Bands and Individuals who have donated funding, instruments and even packing material.
Friends	To all of our friends who have donated their time and efforts in packing and shipping these instruments to our military, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

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