Help us support our troops! [Knives for Soldiers] Update: 1,000 shipped to date and counting!

As some of you know, The group of friends here at Free Republic known as the Hobbit Hole thread, have been contributing to a small project to buy pocketknives and other needed tools for our deployed soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It started out as care and comfort packages, and grew into pocketknives because we learned that while sweets and snacks were good, there were very practical tools, such as a good pocket knife, that our troops didn’t have unless they purchased them themselves. Handy items that would actually help them do their job.

Since we started we have shipped 700 knives as well as other tools, flashlights, EMT shears, seat belt cutters, and other gadgets to our troops overseas. Please visit our newly updated project blog to read about the rest of the project! The Hobbit Hole project blog

One of our pocketknives, in Iraq

Our project leader, 300winmag, has spent thousands of his own money to meet demand just hoping enough donations would be made to keep him out of the poorhouse. My husband ecurbh and I have sent at least $100 per month, and others in the group have sent more or less, depending on what they can afford. But still demand has outpaced the funds coming in. Requests for these knives continue to pour in at the rate of dozens per week:

July 27, 2005
I recently found out about your organization. It makes me feel really good to know there are people out there who care about us and the equipment we carry. I can’t express the amount of gratitude I felt when I found out about your organization. Many of us are junior enlisted, and just can’t afford a quality knife (which tends to be essential in our environment). I am an infantryman fulfilling a combat medic/shooter role because of civilian paramedic training. I was hoping I could get a few knives for the guys in my team if it isn’t too much of a burden. Check out my blog to see what we have been doing here, we are doing a good job of training the Iraqi soldiers if I may toot my own horn! - Chad in Baghdad

Much of the feedback we get are letters from deployed troops who have seen our knives, and went to our site to see about how to also receive one. (More emails from troops)

We have all donated as much as we can and will continue to regularly, but we have reached a limit on how much we alone can do. We’ve decided to both scale back on the more expensive knives we had tested sending, but also decided to ramp up the project and ask for money from outside the group... To ask fellow FReepers, and all our friends and family if you would consider sending a donation to our cause.

We aren’t official enough to fundraise in any kind of big way, we aren’t an official charity with financial statements and tax benefits, and we don’t want to be. We just want to help out just a little, the men and women that are sacrificing overseas for all of us. If you are reading this post, and agree with our mission, we hope you will help us . There is a donation link at the Hobbit Hole site linked above. We guarantee that every dollar you send will be spent on knives.

- HairOfTheDog, ecurbh, and 300winmag, for The Hobbit Hole.

If you are somebody that would like to help your soldiers but hasn't yet known how to do it effectively-- THIS is a good way to do it.

Thanks to HairOfTheDog for bringing it to FReepers' attention, like me that weren't aware of this program.

Been the "chips and salsa" route. Though, I'm sure they appreciated them, this is so much more important.

I just found out by reading some of the letters that the "lives saved" by virtue of a HH-provided knife is now at least FOUR (4) and even that tally was several months ago. It could be more than that especially since the popularity of this program has grown massively in just the last couple of months.

I'm glad you put that info out here on FR. As a regular FR lurker/poster, I was not aware of what was going on in the HH. I'm glad lists are getting pinged. As a former advertising/TV hack, may I suggest: Buy a knife, Save a life.

Wish I could keep this thread bumped, but I'm outta here for family stuff until 8/6. Night all!

Winmag works the late shift, but he'll be along soon to report on anything that came in today!

I've received notice from PayPal of at least three contributions today. I recognize some as regulars from the Hobbit Hole. Others must be other freepers. Thanks to all of you.

As far as lifesaving goes, the Hobbit Hole has also purchased GMRS radios for troops that asked for them. Also a minor medical miracle called Quikclot, which stops bleeding from large-scale trauma long enough to get a patient to medical attention.

We've also sent other "tools" that troops don't get in the regular "care package" from home, like seatbelt cutters, restraint cutters, and special flashlights.

If there's a need to be met, we'll do our best to meet it. It's just that knives are the Hobbit Hole's bread-and-butter "product".

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