ChickSpeak

What if one girl with a big dream could start a movement that would raise millions of dollars in donations for families in need, send letters of hope and support to millions of people who deserve it, and garner the attention and praise of the President of the United States of America himself? What if that girl was an 18 year old high school senior today, but started it all at the age of just 15?

Shauna Fleming is the heart behind A Million Thanks, a non-profit organization that started with a simple mission of sending a million Thank You letters to our troops oversees. According to press releases, Shauna and her early supporters (her family, church and school) all hoped that this goal would be attainable. Little did they know that within three fast years, this dream would take shape and grow to profoundly impact well over 3 million soldiers, their families & countless volunteers, and has also raised an excess of $3 million dollars from generous corporate sponsors to be used to increase awareness and create additional support systems for our troops. Um… and did we mention that she’s not stopping anytime soon?

Do you have goosebumps now, or is it just us?

We recently interviewed Shauna and were impressed with her vision, enthusiam and humble spirit.

ChickSpeak: You’ve been traveling across the states and meeting some incredible people who have recognized your efforts.  Can you tell us what person sticks out in your mind the most and why?

Shauna Fleming: I guess the first person would have to be President Bush. I presented him the one millionth thank-you letter framed, in the Oval Office. It was really encouraging to talk to our Commander-In-Chief about my program. He was just so sincere and genuine. The other person would be Gary Sinise, who was “Lt. Dan” in Forrest Gump. He started operationiraqichildren.org to send school supplies to kids in Iraq. It was really cool to meet a huge celebrity who was community service oriented

CS: With all that you do for the program, pressures of school and general socializing-how do you make time to balance it all?

SF: It’s really difficult. There have definitely been times that I’ve had to say no to hanging out with my friends or my boyfriend, but somehow things always work out. God has really blessed me with time management.

CS: How would you describe the reactions you received when you FIRST shared your idea?  How did those responses impact your decision-making?

SF: Everyone I told was so supportive. I think that was because they really had no idea how big it was going to get - and that included myself. After things really started getting rolling, I had people call me everyday wanting to help me. It was great!

CS: Where do you find the inspiration to positively impact the lives of our soldiers?

SF: Well, I had seen after 9/11 how America’s patriotism increased tremendously. There were flags and yellow ribbons all over the place. As the months went on, though, that started to decline. I thought sending thank you letters was unique, because in essence, it sent a boost of morale. That’s something care packages alone can’t provide.

CS: If you had a magic wand, what would you do with it?

SF: Well obviously I would want all conflicts in the world to end, so everyone could be at peace with each other. But I would also really like to be able to speak every language in the world, so I could help others.

CS: Where did this idea originate?  Why a million?

SF: The phrase “Thanks a million” has been thrown around so much, so I figured people would really want to know how much a million really is. One million letters would fill up a semi-truck completely and weigh a little over 4,000 pounds. I reversed the wording a little and called my program “A Million Thanks”. People really underestimate the power of the words “thank you”

CS: What’s your favorite quote?  What’s the significance behind it?

SF:  “In the end, all will be well; if all is not well, then it is not the end.” The origin is unknown, but when my 8^th grade English teacher wrote it in my yearbook, it really stuck with me. I’m kind of a worrier, so it kind of gives me confidence.

CS: How can ChickSpeak best support your project?

SF: Anyone who wants to participate can go to my website http://www.amillionthanks.org/ to send letters or help with the other organizations we’ve partnered with. Thanks!