I love to bake and when I heard about the cookbooks to benefit the Semper Fi Fund, I had to get on board. I went to my local USS Midway Museum in San Diego and headed to the JetShop gift store to find the book. Soon I found “Family Cookbook-Recipes from Marines, Families and Friends” and headed to the register to make my purchase. The woman at the counter was excited to tell me how popular the book was as we flipped through the pages.
Years back, Gladys Rodriguez and her husband, Bob, visited wounded military members at Walter Reed Medical Center which led to her Semper Fi fundraiser. Gladys solicited recipes from military families and the first cookbook, Family Cookbook was published. The cookbook sales were successful and in 2014 a second book, Recipes from Across the World was published. All the proceeds from both books go directly to the Semper Fi Fund.
Semper Fi Fund fills a critical need for military members needing assistance with housing, transportation, financial issues, kids camp and so much more. Since the non-profit began in 2003, millions of dollars have been raised through various fund raisers which in turn has helped so many.
I noticed volunteer Glen Winn on the USS Midway had Marine Corp patches on his jacket and asked him about his service. I learned he had served with the US Marine Corp in Southeast Asia and Vietnam in Artillery Units and is a proud veteran.
Once I returned home, I decided to make the banana walnut bread recipe. Mashed ripe bananas and butter made the bread moist and tasty. Since it made two loaf pans, I could share them with family and friends.
The recipe books not only provide treasured family recipes but a way to help military people in need. It’s a delicious way to support the Semper Fi Fund, https://semperfifund.org/shop-to-support/recipes-across-world/
If you would like more information from Gladys Rodriguez, please contact her by email at gladrod@comcast.net.
For more information about the Semper Fi Fund, contact Brian McPherson at brian.mcpherson@semperfifund.org
