FReeper Canteen ~ Get Out The Military Vote! April Thread! ~ April 29, 2004

MoJo2001, Kathy in Alaska and FRiends of the Canteen

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

We will be running a "GET OUT THE MILITARY VOTE"
thread once a month until September

Click on the pic and I'll guide you
to the start of today's thread



FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Soaring Feather]

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Operation FR Canteen

An Opportunity to Help Our Wounded Servicemen and Women

Freepers, We have been sent an email from someone stationed in Iraq regarding an urgent need by our wounded servicemen/women. For security reasons, the whole email can NOT be posted here. Read on, please.


Today I went to visit the military hospital here in the Green Zone. Yesterday my boss (a Marine) had gone to visit some of the Marines brought here from the Fallujah fighting. When he asked one of the wounded Marines if there was anything he could get for him, the Marine requested a razor so he could shave and be within standards again before he was discharged from the hospital. My boss also found that the hospital basically was lacking phones for the patients to be able to call home and talk with their loved ones. I think they only had one that the chaplain carried with him and let the patients use when visiting them. We were able to scrounge up a few razors and got a couple of our cell phones signed over to the ward. I took the items back today along with some candy folks gave me and spent some time talking with the patients.

Afterwards, I talked with the ward personnel and they gave me a list of items they can always use. Our hospital is the largest surgical hospital here in Iraq so most of the patients are evac'd here for their initial care until they can be stabilized and evac'd to Germany or returned to duty (although it is not a big hospital-more like a clinic sized unit).

Of course most of the wounded come in with only what they were wearing in most cases. As such, they don't have things like toothbrushes, etc. A lot of you are always asking if there is anything you can send me. There really isn't anything I need, but these folks could use some things for the wounded. It really is humbling when you think about these young men and women who have been wounded, some of them terribly, and they are really excited about getting a razor or some chocolate candy. So, following is the list of things the ward personnel said they could really use for their patients.

On the hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), they are interested in the travel size products because the wounded are normally only here for a short period of time before they are transferred out to bigger hospitals that have better supplies of these items, or back to their units where they have access to their stuff. If you would like to donate any of these things (or start a drive for these things) just mail them to me. My office will sort the items and make sure they get to the hospital. If you would like to send food items, we'll need individually wrapped or single serving items. And, chocolate is okay if it's mailed soon before it gets too hot (but to tell the truth, we've been known to lick it off the wrapper when we want it bad enough!).

Razors
Shaving Cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Mouthwash
Soap
Shampoo
Feminine Hygiene Products
Underclothes (male and female)-okay this may sound like a strange item, but remember they normally only come in with the stuff they are wearing and normally those are ruined
Slippers/FlipFlop type of things (in large sizes-apparently the things on the local economy are pretty small)
Hospital PJs
Candy
Crackers
Snack Items
Anything else you can think of

Additionally, we like to go out and give our young Marines pulling post duty candy/cookies, so we can always use that type of stuff. We had a great time delivering our Easter candy stash Sunday and we left a lot of Marines grinning from ear to ear.

* * * * * * *
MoJo20001's husband's division is going to be collecting the items and sending them via transport to the hospital in Iraq. IF you feel so inclined, and the need IS urgent...please let one of us know.

We also are coming across names...MANY MANY names of servicemen who need care packages, a letter, sometimes depending upon the branch of service, an email. If you can commit to being faithful with the correspondence, PLEASE let us know about that, too.

MoJo2001............................. Kathy in Alaska........................... Brad's Gramma

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

May 1st Homecoming cyber-parade
to welcome home our troops and Vets

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

To every service man or woman reading this thread.
Thank You for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.

To our military readers, we remain steadfast in keeping the Canteen doors open.
The FR Canteen is Free Republics longest running daily thread specifically designed
to provide entertainment and morale support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.
We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT
Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.
CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREAD.

Click on a service emblem to send an online
Thank You to a service man or woman in any branch.

Army	Navy	Marines	Air Force	Coast Guard

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

From the men in the Military and the Canteen

[SevenofNine]

Whoa NY Times reporting in Thursday runs that the US Marines found notes from Falijah Iraq that had Saddam in works if he overthrow have miltant start some crap with our US troops after the war in Fallijah Iraq

[Libertina]

BTTT Beautifully done!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Ms. Poohbear,
Are you here, girl?
Ms.B

[HiJinx]

Poor MoJo, she waits so patiently for her Piper fix, then I wait until she calls it a night to post...

Hey, Grammy, Piper wants to know what you think of her swing!

Auntie Fawnn, please tell your daughter "hello" from me when she calls this morning, ok?

[Brad’s Gramma]

That is ONE NEAT SWING! Far better than the ones our kids had. I remember how scared they got because they'd "flop" around...I LOVE the design.

Now....as to the BEAUTIFUL GIRL in the swing....WOW! That sweetie pie is getting cuter and cuter and CUTER!

Got the shotguns ready, Gramps????

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thanks for the Piper fix Brother!

[Ms.Poohbear]

Ms B
Yes i am
Ms.Poobear

[HiJinx]

Got the shotguns ready, Gramps????

Do I ever!

Mix Italian, Mexican, and English-Mutt, and you get a real looker!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Actually MoJo2001 deserves the credit!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Well you better stay in practice cuz that cutie's gonna have the boys knocking on her door alright!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

For you....

[Soaring Feather]

The Swing
by Robert Lewis Stevenson
1850-1894

HOW do you like to go up in a swing,  
  Up in the air so blue?  
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing  
  Ever a child can do!  
  
Up in the air and over the wall,
            Till I can see so wide,  
Rivers and trees and cattle and all  
  Over the countryside—  
   Till I look down on the garden green,  
  Down on the roof so brown—   
Up in the air I go flying again,  
  Up in the air and down!