<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;<img alt="" height="349" src="http://www.cirrascloud.com/uploads/image/cuddles.jpg" width="336" /></p><p>MSG Vander Molen has assigned a special mission to Cuddles, a courageous little brown bear.&nbsp;&nbsp;He is departing to Iraq to join the 855 Military Police Company&#39;s&nbsp;3rd Platoon. Cuddles is helping SGT Micael McAlister&rsquo;s niece, Penny Gorman by taking photos with the soldiers and sharing Penny&rsquo;s story. Cuddles will be back in time to partake in the &ldquo;Heroes Helping Heroes&rdquo; fundraiser on May 15. Please allow us to share Penny&rsquo;s story with you as Cuddles departs on his very important mission.<br />
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Penny Gorman is a beautiful 2 year old girl; her parents are Stephen and Jina Gorman of Mesa, AZ. Her story is one of heartache and disbelief. Penny was always happy, playful without a care in the world. Then in August 2009 tragedy struck, while visiting family in California. Penny was diagnosed with heart failure. She was rushed to UCLA Medical Center where it was determined that she would need a new heart. She underwent surgery and was fitted with a Berlin Heart; this is a device that helps her heart pump as her little heart could no longer go on. Even through all of this; she remains strong willed, happy and always smiling. Penny&rsquo;s home is currently her hospital room in the Mattel Children&rsquo;s Hospital, UCLA Los Angles, while she awaits a new heart.<br />
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Her uncle, SGT Micael McAlister, with 3rd Platoon, has shared her story with his squad and they have all come to know Penny and have been praying for her. They love her and call her their Hero for she is such a brave and courageous little girl. They want nothing more than for her to receive her new heart and be able to come home!<br />
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The idea sprang to life to hold a fundraiser for Penny, Michelle, wife of SGT Micael McAlister collaborated with the fellow wives of the 855th MP CO, her family and Cirra Turpin, Owner &amp; Founder of Cirra&rsquo;s Cloud a Non-Profit Organization - Dedicated to Assisting the Family Members of Deployed Soldiers.<br />
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Penny&rsquo;s heart transplant will start at $60,000.00 and go up from there; this is not taking into account the time she has already been at UCLA and the time she will need to remain in the hospital after her transplant and her aftercare. Our faith in God, in each other and in Our Soldiers has made us realize that there are no impossibilities.<br />
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Please join us on May 15th, 2010 (Armed Forces Day) from 11:00am to 6:00pm for, &ldquo;Heroes Helping Heroes&rdquo; and help us raise money for a very special little girl and show support for our beloved Soldiers who so proudly serve our country. Heroes in every sense of the word, who consider Penny to be their Hero!<br />
&nbsp;</p><p>The &quot;CuddlesGoes To Iraq&quot;&nbsp;book will available for purchase at our event along with a replica of Cuddles in one of our Event Tshirts!<img height="277" src="http://pictures.sprintpcs.com//mmps/RECIPIENT/008_5630bfeff6bd6da6_1/2?inviteToken=qEYrYjJk28hDZkL7oL8h&amp;limitsize=258,258&amp;outquality=90&amp;squareoutput=255,255,255&amp;ext=.jpg&amp;iconifyVideo=true&amp;wm=1" style="width: 319px; height: 329px" width="316" /></p>