A sergeant in the military once told Hall County resident Becky Pratt that the worst feeling to experience after arriving at an overseas deployment is "that you’ve been forgotten."

That statement helped motivate Pratt to embark on a personal mission, with the help of her daughter, to sponsor a group of some 35 soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

She is organizing a Saturday rally at the Gainesville First Church of the Nazarene at 1301 Otila Drive, off Dawsonville Highway, to support the soldiers.

The event, set for 2-4 p.m. will feature a program in the church, including songs and a slide show of soldiers’ pictures. Pratt and the church’s pastor, Bill McCumber, plan to speak.

The ceremony will move outside to the church flagpole where a couple more songs will be presented and balloons will be launched.

"We’re just trying to get our spirit to reach their spirits across the seas," Pratt said.

"I want them to know they have our support here."

She said she believes those who attend the event will be awed by it.

"I’ve got some surprises in there," Pratt said.

"It’s going to be amazing what people are going to see and how they are going to feel when they leave.

"I hate to think (the soldiers) think they are forgotten, because they are not. We want to show those guys and girls over there we do support them, hook, line and sinker."

Pratt, who has been sending each soldier a gift bag monthly since April, also is organizing a shipment of care packages to the group.

"We’ll be doing a Christmas gift wrapping, where people in the community are bringing stuff to put in the care packages," she said. "And we are getting letters of support from businesses (and schools)."

Pratt wants the soldiers to get a box of letters that they can share "with as many other soldiers that they can, so we not only touch the 35 (soldiers) but we will touch hundreds."

She noted that "they’re in such desolate areas, the Christmas gift bags and cards will have to be muled in."

Pratt said a Marine from her church who had returned from Afghanistan told her over dinner that the "absolute best thing he could get in a care package ... was a letter from home."

"The community has been absolutely wonderful (with support)," she said.

"People have said they want to help but are not sure how. They are needing direction; that’s what I’m trying to (give)."