Posted on 12/12/2005 4:44:06 PM PST by SandRat
W. Douglas Pritchard just wanted to send a book as a Christmas gift for a friend serving in Iraq.
Now, it looks as if Pritchard could be helping to send potentially hundreds of books to service personnel in Iraq in the coming months, with the support of a Central Tucson bookstore.
The project, tentatively dubbed the "Tucson Book Caravan," began to germinate a few weeks ago when Pritchard asked his friend Mark Ballis what he could send as a gift to Ballis' son, 19-year-old Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Morgan Ballis, who is serving in Ramadi. Pritchard, 66, a retired University of Arizona music professor, used to baby-sit Morgan and his older brother, Nicholas, when they were young.
After Ballis suggested a book as a gift, Pritchard sought a recommendation from his neighbor, Lynn Shisler, who works at Bookman's on Grant Road. "She said, 'Why not send a whole box?' and that's what we did," Pritchard recalled.
When Shisler's manager, Ed Valado, got wind of the project, he offered to supply the books for free and pay the postage of about $25 to send the initial box of about 45 books to Morgan. The store, at 1930 E. Grant Road, had already sent some books to military members overseas, Shisler said.
Accompanying the box was a note asking Morgan to pick out some books and distribute the rest among his unit, part of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, based in Twentynine Palms, Calif. Morgan has not yet sent word that he's received the box, his father said.
Now, Pritchard and Shisler plan to gather names of other service members from local family members and friends and ship a couple of boxes overseas each month.
Caring folks care for our Troops Far-Far-Away.
We go to the local used book store with a list of Marine reading books (It must be a get to be an NCO thing)
Anyway, we pickup about $50.00 in used books, box 'em and ship 'em.
Tell son to read what he wants and pass the rest out. Been quite a hit to date......you (all freepers) should try it for your self. Most book stores will discount stuff going over seas.
Where I work we do the same sort of thing except we send the books to the VA Hospital in Tucson for all the Vets to read. Covering both ends.
BTTT
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