Posted on 01/21/2006 3:06:06 PM PST by patriciaruth
Welcome to the 2006 thread of the Merry Band of Patriots!
Our grassroots, volunteer group of troop supporters has been sending care packages to servicemen and women in war zones since the summer of 2001 when we began by sending VHS movies and Snickers candy bars to the 101st Airborne and then later the 10th Mountain at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.
This last year we sent a couple hundred care packages to troops at Baghdad, Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar in Iraq, at Bagram in Afghanistan, at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo and to our wounded at Landstuhl Regional Hospital in Germany.
Our specialty in the past has been movies, books, snacks, holiday decorations and some appliances like DVD players and Playstations, and we have sent hundreds of movies to various bases.
This last year we had 6 main projects in addition to the usual care packages:
1. We sent over 80 state-of-the-art Petzl headlamps to our adopted company of Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Mosul and 35 to an MI unit at Kirkuk. This was probably the most appreciated item we've ever sent, thanks to a project that got off the ground due to the work of Spanaway Lori, HannaUSA , and Oatka and 3/4th of which was funded by my optometrist.
2. There was the Personal Care items "Emergency" Airlift to Bagram air base in June and July. (mathluv, nina0113, Coop, JustAmy, airborne, iceskater, Tunehead54, jtill participated.)
3. The 4th of July Party Decorations and Snacks blowout for all our adopted units. (pictures at posts 357, 358, 368 of our 2005 thread)
4. Operation Popcorn in August and September for the Engineers at Baghdad (iceskater, mathluv, SENClander, Coop, Abigail Adams, Ros42, Ican'tbelieve it, jtill and ebay's mshoponline sent over 600 bags of microwave popcorn, while omegatoo's were lost in the shuffle of her evacuating New Orleans prior to the Katrina flooding)
5. The End of Summer Luau for psyops at Baghdad in September and October (MJY1288 mailed off the party things we bought at eBay and Amazon with contributions from fanfan, kattracks, jtill, Just mythoughts, Ros42, Pig Rigger, MJY1288 and Kitty Mittens. Pictures at post 809 of the 2005 thread)
6. Halloween candy and movies for the Troops (kattracks, SENClander, Ican'tbelieveit, Abigail Adams mailed boxes in addition to the ones I sent with donations)
7. The Amazing Christmas and New Years Deluge, when it rained packages at all our adopted bases, especially at Tal Afar.
Special mentions go to Teams captains: mathluv (Engineers Baghdad), Ros42 (psyops Baghdad), CAluvdubya (Tal Afar), Abigail Adams (Stryker at Mosul), VeniVidiVici (MI at Kirkuk), nina0113 (Bagram, Afghanistan). Fairy Godmother Dept. (kattracks), Christmas Trees and Christmas Cards R Us (daybreakcoming), Shipping Dept (MJY1288), DVD Recording Dept (MJY1288), Webhosting and Photoshopping Dept (New Perspective), Daddy Warbucks Dept (my optometrist).
Among the many care packages sent by our troop supporters are these projects.
Boxes of school supplies for Iraqi children were sent by mathluv, Ican'tbelieveit, and my mother to Operation Crayon in Kirkuk.
Some members (CAluvdubya, angelsonmyside, 4integrity, ebay's susiemck) helped fill requests for Western Movies from an MI unit at Kirkuk (now home, movies still there) and Clint Eastwood and Adam Sandler movies from Fox Battery at Kirkuk (now home, movies still there).
bjcintennesse made many dozens of cooling neck scarves and sent them to pysops and Engineers at Baghdad.
DAVEY CROCKETT mailed boxesful of car magazines to a couple units.
A copy of the hardback book about the first year of the Revolutionary War (1776 by David McCullough) was sent to most of our units by DrDeb, iceskater, SwatTeam, and Just a Cowgirl.
Ros42 and mscht adopted a unit at Camp Ramadi for Christmas. (picture at 1195 of the 2005 thread).
CheneyChick and daybreakcoming saw to it that some care packages went to a remnant of our troops still in Kosovo.
Daybreakcoming's sister helped the staffers of the Louisiana legislature send about 8 boxes with around 32 bags of Christmas candy to Tal Afar.
Our many generous donors of checks, cash, money orders, Paypal, shopping cards, phone cards, etc are listed in the Accounting posts in our 2005 thread which can be linked from the post below.
We were surprised and emotional when we received back from our adopted units some of the items pictured below, and a big thank you to jkphoto for taking the pictures and webhosting them.
My computer is on the fritz.
Hoping to be back on line longer by Tuesday when a new part comes in.
Meanwhile, thanks for those great Hallowe'en care packages!
My computer is on the fritz, waiting for a new AC adapter...and kattracks isn't feeling well, so we've been out of touch.
We were recommended by A company contact at Baghdad to his brother, also in Baghdad. And he has another brother in Afghanistan. What a family!!
Mailed October 13, 2006, to Bagram air base, Afghanistan, 3 boxes
Box 1, insured $84.00, postage $10.40
Queen Amidala adult costume
Package of Queen Amidala makeup
Obi-Wan Kenobi mask
Box 2, insured $99.50 (value $109.50), postage $10.40
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Episode I) adult costume
Package with Obi-Wan clip-on hair braid
Obi-Wan Kenobi light saber
Package 12 AA batteries
Box 3, insured $63.00, postage $8.35(larger but lightweight)
Queen Amidala headdress mask
Package that the contained the Obi-Wan light saber, with the instructions for use
2 Darth Vader decorations
1 Qui-Gon face mask
A reminder to those who recommend us to others: I don't give out the APO's I've been entrusted with to anyone without getting their real name and address as well as checking them out a bit. Please indicate that to anyone interested in sending care packages to our adopted units. Donations, however, can be made anonymously. ;-)
A Co.
1 tub Candy Corn (1 lb. 4 oz.)
1 Tub harvest Mix Candy (1 lb. 4 oz.)
2 pkgs. Oreo Halloween Cookies (24 per)
2 pkgs. Hershey Chocolate bars (8 per)
1 pkg. Tootsie Roll snacks (10 per)
1 pkg. Mounds Bars (8 per)
2 pkgs. Milky Way Bars (10 per)
1 pkg. Assorted Tootsie Treats
2 pkgs. Snickers Bars (10 per)
1 pkg. M&Ms (10 per)
2 pkgs. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (8 per)
2 pkgs. Kit Kat Bars (8 per)
2 pkgs. Hershey's Kisses
2 pkgs. Iced Pumpkin Lollipops (approx. 20 per)
C Co.
Same as above.
Bagram
Same as above.
Those are incredible boxes, Kat!
With deep gratitude for your dedication,
Patty
Status report:
Assuming that our 2 1/2 adopted 172nd Stryker units at Baghdad will be home by Christmas (which is not a done deal), we will be left with 5 adopted units to supply for Christmas:
new Stryker unit at Mosul
Camp Ramadi
small unit training Iraqi soldiers at Baghdad
Bagram air base in Afghanistan and their fire bases
Possibly our first Marine unit (local Mom has son who went to Iraq recently, and may be at Fallujah. She's going to call me his APO when she gets off work today.)
As I am going to be out of touch Nov 1-18 while I am in Texas packing up Mom to bring her here to live with me, I am looking to organize the Christmas volunteers in the next couple weeks before I leave.
Please let me know if you can send a care package(s) for Christmas or can donate toward purchase of items for our adopted units (check, cash, Paypal, Walmart/Target/Amazon gift certificates, etc. accepted). We also hope to get people to send Christmas cards and/or letters.
Mailed October 14, 2006, 2 boxes to the new Stryker unit at Mosul
Box 1, insured $54.57, postage $10.40
4 DVD movies:
Flight 93
Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis)
Mercury Rising (Bruce Willis)
Independence Day (Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum)
4 bags Hallowe’en candy
Brach’s Indian Corn 20.9 oz (~550)
Snickers 22 oz fun size (~38)
Kitkats 20.1 oz (~42)
Hershey’s 11 oz. Nut Lovers miniatures (~35)
2 magazines:
Reader’s Digest, November
Washington Times Weekly, Oct 9
2007 Reagan calendar
2 travel Kleenex
Box 2, value $30.45, postage $8.60 with delivery confirmation
5 bags Hallowe’en candy:
Brach’s mellowcreme pumpkins (~96)
Whopper’s 9 oz malted milk balls (~12 packs)
Reese’s 22.53 oz peanut butter cups (~28 packs)
Hershey’s minibars Assortment 25.97 oz (dark choc, milk choc, choc almonds) (53)
Bag 16 oz strawberry Twislers (60)
15 DVD recordings by MJY1288 (2 Rush Limbaugh, 2 programs honoring soldiers in Iraq, 1 Condi speech, SOTU and various speeches by President Bush)
Mailed October 14, 2006, to Camp Ramadi
1 box, insured $80.33, postage $10.40
1 TV series boxed set:
Smallville, Season 5
2 DVD movies:
Frequency (Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel)
Lethal Weapon (Mel Gibson, Danny Glover)
5 bags Halloween candy:
Hershey’s minibars Assortment 25.97 oz, (dark choc, milk choc, choc almond) (53)
Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups, 14.8 oz. (~55)
Three Musketeers 11 oz, (~21)
Brach’s mellowcreme pumpkins (~96)
Snickers 22 oz fun size (~38)
1 magazine: Sports Illustrated, October 16, SECPower
Mailed October 14, 2006, to small unit training Iraqi soldiers in Baghdad (to brother of our contact at A company of Stryker in Baghdad)
1 box, insured $47.67, postage $9.95 with delivery confirmation
4 DVD movies:
Flight 93
The Man from Snowy River (Tom Burlinson)
Tombstone (Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott)
Quick and the Dead (Sam Elliott, Kate Capshaw)
3 bags Hallowe’en treats
Oreo minis 9 oz. (~18 packs)
M&mM plain 22.53 oz (~36 packs)
Reese’s Peanut Butter cups 21 oz (~28 packs)
You are a small wonder Patty...God Bless you and all here who help our troops...
God Bless you!
What is ghost poo?
Can we get you to embarrass yourself by posting the Halloween poem you wrote to A and C companies of Stryker at Baghdad?
Please.
OK -- here it is:
(At the top I put a jack-o-lantern and bat)
BOO!
The nights are getting longer,
There's a crispness in the air.
The ghosts & goblins wander
To find someone to scare.
Though these little trick or treaters
Won't find their way over there,
Here are some treats for you, our troops,
To let you know we care.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Yikes -- now I AM embarrassed (blush)
I've been putting on the masterlists the packages that were mailed out while I've been busy with Mom.
After closely reading the contents of your box sent to Mosul near the end of September, I had really good laugh.
Our contact there mentioned the "eclectic" contents of the packages received, and when I saw you had sent him a back scratcher and a shower curtain, I got a big kick out of it.
I nominate you for most imaginative packer of the year! Keep up the good work. The guys there really need some fun in their lives, and I want them looking forward to what you will think up next to send.
That's GREAT! It's cute and fun and they will love it!
Ghost poo is what my son calls those white peanut things that is used for packing filler. Works for me.
I'm glad you like my boxes! One of the young men I had adopted several months ago really enjoyed those items. He told me that they used the shower curtains for room dividers! These folks are a very creative lot and I think they find ways to use almost anything....Haven't heard what they think about the backscratcher. It's one of those rough things you can use in the shower! I'm glad to know that the packages are getting through...
You're absolutely right that they are very creative in finding a use for anything that is sent, and that was my second thought (room divider) about how they would use the shower curtain. I knew they wouldn't waste it in a shower (first thought).
If you hadn't been sending them packages, they would have had to wait till now to get others from the rest of us. Thank you so much for stepping up and sending them goodies!
As you know, the 172nd Stryker Brigade now at Baghdad may be home for Christmas, so I am establishing contact with another unit at Baghdad.
This new unit just got there and they are asking for some surge protectors (2-4) and some Petzl headlamps. (4-11)
Do we have any volunteers for getting these items or for donating toward their purchase?
Update on the memorial plaque for the two psyops soldiers for Bagram:
A local funeral home is going to help get it for us wholesale, so the cost may be around $600 or so, but not sure yet. I'm taking the information I have from our contact at Bagram over to them tomorrow afternoon. I'll also be checking with local donors to help with the cost.
My new AC adaptor came and my laptop is working great with great internet access now.
BUMP
Dear Merry Band of Patriots,
If you live on the Eastern side of the country and are willing to volunteer for this mission, please contact me.
I want to order some movies/TV series from Amazon and Amazon Marketplace and ship them to someone else who could then put them in care packages to go to a soldier in a new unit at Baghdad (brother of our contact at A company of Stryker in Baghdad).
Here is the DVD request list. If anyone can get any or some of the following, please let me know, as I can't handle all of these before Christmas by myself. (You can watch them yourselves before sending them.) THANKS!!
Galaxy Quest (Tim Allen, Tony Shalhoub, Sigourney Weaver)
The Fifth Element (Bruce Willis)
Indiana Jones Trilogy:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (Harrison Ford)
Temple of Doom (Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw)
The Last Crusade (Harrison Ford, Sean Connery)
Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis, Russell Means)
The Last Samurai (Tom Cruise)
Lawrence of Arabia (Peter O'Toole, Alec Guiness, Omar Sharif)
Lethal Weapon (Mel Gibson, Danny Glover)
Star Wars:
I The Phantom Menace (Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd)
II Attack of the Clones (Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christiansen, Samuel L. Jackson)
III Revenge of the Sith (Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman,
Hayden Christensen)
IV A New Hope (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher) V The Empire Strikes Back (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher)
VI Return of the Jedi (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford,
Carrie Fisher)
Troy (Brad Pitt, Peter O'Toole)
True Lies (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis)
Unbreakable (Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson)
Untouchables (Sean Connery, Kevin Costner)
Walk the Line (Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon)
We Were Soldiers (Mel Gibson)
Also, does anyone have any of these TV series or are they willing to get one or two seasons of one of them? (You can watch it yourself before sending it.) These are the ones they are interested in, and don't expect to get more than a couple of seasons of a couple of the possibles.
24, Seasons 1, 2, 3, or 4 (Kiefer Sutherland)
CSI (Las Vegas) any seasons
CSI, Miami (David Caruso) any seasons
Lost, Seasons 1 and 2 (Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Terry O'Quinn)
Smallville (Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk) Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5
You should add "Serenity" to the list - honest!
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