If you don't have a name and address, here is an idea for ya!
SOS: Support Our Troops Operation Gratitude: Sending Care Packages To
U.S. Troops"
Toogood Reports via FR
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/991246/posts : "When troops are out in remote places, they don't have access to
: news on a regular basis and rumors abound," says retired Army
: National Guard Brig. Gen. Michael R. S. Teilman, who now heads the
: Bob Hope Hollywood USO. "They hear about protest marches, the
: president getting lambasted, and they don't know if there is going
: to be a backlash when they get home, like there was after Vietnam."
: It's no wonder the troops are confused, with negative coverage in
: the media exceeding positive coverage ten to one, and the patriotic
: fervor of 9/11 quickly slipping into the apathetic languor that
: preceded that defining moment in history. Despite the negative media
: coverage and political bickering, Americans overwhelmingly support
: their individual troops and one woman in Encino, California is
: determined to make sure they receive that message loud and clear.
: Carolyn Blashek, ex-lawyer/teacher and proud mother, has personally
: sent almost 600 care packages to soldiers in the Middle East. Filled
: with toiletries, snacks, games, movies and personal letters of
: support, these packages have a huge impact on the lives of these
: soldiers. Although steadfast in their loyalty to their country, one
: soldier's uncertainty shows between the lines.
: "All the soldiers here are very happy to receive letters and
: anything that is a sign of support for our effort," writes the
: thankful SPC. "You at Operation Gratitude have made a difference in
: our lives and we are grateful as well. We are determined to
: accomplish our mission here even more, because we know America cares
: about us. God bless America."
: Boosting morale. That's what motivates this human dynamo, Carolyn
: Blashek, to keep sending packages and letters of support overseas. A
: product of the Vietnam Era, this 48 year old, two-mile-a-day-runner
: tried to join the Army Reserves after September 11, but was politely
: turned down for being about a decade over age. Undaunted, Carolyn
: signed on as a volunteer at the Bob Hope Hollywood USO where she
: lent a sympathetic ear to anxious troops headed overseas. Her
: encounter with one young man was soon to change the course of her
: life. About to return to Korea after attending his mother's funeral,
: an Army officer wished to speak to a chaplain. Unable to find one on
: short notice, the officer asked if he could talk to Carolyn instead.
: "His mother had just died, and his wife had left him years ago,"
: Carolyn said. "He said he didn't have any other relatives. Then he
: just broke down, started crying and said, 'I don't know if I will
: return alive, and it won't matter to anybody.' After he left, I
: wondered how many other servicemen and women feel that they have
: nobody. And if that's the case, where do they find the strength to
: survive the difficulties they face in battle?"
: Out of that void came the birth of Operation Gratitude (a 501(c)(3)
: non-profit corporation).
: Aided by donations from local businesses and other interested
: parties, Carolyn sent her first four packages to a predominately
: female Army unit based in the Kuwaiti desert, desperately in need of
: feminine hygiene products, toiletries and encouragement. From that
: initial four-box-a-month order, Operation Gratitude now sends
: 160-175 boxes a month to grateful troops. As with any successful
: endeavor, this one has changed over time. In the beginning, the
: front line troops needed basic things like shampoo, lotion and
: toothbrushes. Now that base camps with commissaries have been
: established in most areas, Carolyn is receiving more requests for
: entertaining items such as DVDs, books and the all important
: morale-boosting letters.
: Many of the soldiers are now asking for items to give to the Iraqi
: children and families who have befriended them in their distant
: outposts. They want candy, clothing and toys for the children and
: they want to share American foods with the Iraqi families who treat
: them to dinner in their own homes on a weekly basis. If there is
: anything that frustrates Carolyn about this business, it's the lack
: of media coverage for the positive things that are happening in
: Iraq. Without fail, she says, the soldiers have been welcomed with
: open arms and hailed as liberators rather than occupiers. They have
: become part of the lives of the citizens they are liberating, often
: attending community events and ground-breaking efforts such as
: democratic elections and the formation of schools. Unsure of their
: support at home, the soldiers find much solace in the appreciation
: of the Iraqi people.
: Despite it's inflated size, Carolyn still works out of her own
: living room, dining room and recently commandeered college-bound
: daughter's bedroom. This way, she says, she can still keep personal
: control of the project. An expert at procuring and packing the
: requested items, her most difficult challenge is meeting the cost of
: postage. At about $25 per package, the numbers add up pretty quickly
: and donations of any size are greatly appreciated. Carolyn finds
: the time to send a response to each and every donor and helper. It's
: this personal touch that really sets her apart from many other
: organizations. It's all spread by word of mouth, she explains. "Due
: to security issues, the military requires that I address each box to
: a specific service member in a specific location. I get these names
: from company commanders, chaplains, fellow soldiers, relatives and
: friends. I always welcome more names and can receive that
: information through my website,Operation Gratitude. Give me a name
: and a request and I'll see that they get a package."
: It's that simple. And it is the thought that counts.
: For more information contact: Operation Gratitude Carolyn Blashek
: 16444 Refugio Road Encino, California 91436 USA
: Telephone: 818-789-0123 Fax: 818-789-0563 E-Mail:
cblashek@aol.com : or
opgratitude2003@aol.com : Website:Operation Gratitude
:
http://www.opgratitude.com