Care Packages and Thank-You Notes for our Troops in Afghanistan

self | 7-3-04 | patriciaruth

[patriciaruth]

Our troop support group finally found a way to send care packages to our troops in Afghanistan, and I've received a couple letters this week requesting goodies. We're pretty excited about finally making contact, and are inviting others who want to show support to join us.

If you can't afford to contribute money or goods, the troops also really appreciate letters, cards and notes, and request your prayers for their safety and peace of mind.

The first set of care packages and thank you cards and notes that we sent to Afghanistan for the Fourth of July were received with joy and you can read about them on the second half of our last thread, Write a Thank You Note to a Soldier in Iraq this Memorial Day Weekend

We've been collecting goodies and contributions toward the next set of care packages to go to Afghanistan. Our contact there will send them to the troops at the outlying fire bases, and has requested toiletries, movies, paperback books, snacks, and games for them.

Also, there are ongoing requests from a group of soldiers near Kirkuk in Iraq for items for the poor village schools and children in the surrounding area, specifically elementary school supplies and children's toys and crayons 24 to a box are a special project of theirs.

[patriciaruth]

The letters from Afghanistan with requests will be in the posts to follow, as will be lists of what has already been collected or has already gone.

[patriciaruth]

A lot of you on the ping list have already contributed, so drag some of your friends over to this thread to write letters or contribute money or goodies.

I'm getting my paypal account set up again next week for those who want to do this by credit card.

[So Cal Rocket]

Also, don't forget:

http://www.soldiersangels.com

[patriciaruth]

Letter from BAGRAM!

Dear Dr. P****,

Thank you so so much for the care packages for someone like myself who doesn't have a large family or spouse. It was nice to be excited about getting mail. Your packages had something to make everyone on my team smile. What you are doing is really great, and admirable.

I wish I had an APO to send you for some of our guys out at the smaller fire bases, but if you could send a male oriented box with snacks like dried fruit and trail mix, some fun stuff like DVD's or board games, books, and personal hygiene items (shaving cream, razors, deoderant, sunscreen, ect...) I will put them on the next available resupply trip. I'm sure whatever you send will be greatly appreciated.

When you ask about any personal requests, all I could really use is ....[a personal item I've already purchased for her]. Some girls here are afraid to ask for these items. [feminine hygiene products] and other girlie potions you may surprise us with, like lotions, hair products, face products, nail stuff, ect. Sometimes it's nice to just feel like a girl for a little while.

Thank you once again for everything that you are doing, people like you make a huge difference in soldiers lives.

Sincerely,
Cpl. R****

And she included a picture of herself on the team truck at the airfield.

[patriciaruth]

[See also, another letter above, and the lists of other requests below]

Second letter from BAGRAM!

Dear Mrs. P*****,

I would like to thank you in person for what you have done for US troops out here, but all I can send is this letter.

These small gifts mean a lot to all of us out here. With all that goes on around here, even the smallest things can make the difference.

I hope you can make out my hand writing, I apologize for its sixe and sloppiness. Thank you very much and have a wonderful day.

--soldier, Operation Enduring Freedom

P.S. I was told to list some items I would like, but there isn't much I want. But if you would like to send something, Kettle corn pop corn would be great. Thanks again.

[Help! Is Kettle corn a brand? Is it microwave bags or the do it yourself bags of kernals?]

[Mo1]

and other girlie potions

LOL .. I think I can find something like that to send

Thanks for the ping Patty

[patriciaruth]

Special requests from Bagram:

Requested movies:
U571
Lonesome Dove - Part 1
The Jerk (Steve Martin)
Three Kings
Finding Nemo
Ants
Broken Arrow
Chocolat
Hunt for Red October
Office Space
Hidalgo
Sea of Love

Requested:
episodes of Orange County (a TV series):

Can anyone record them or does anyone know where to get them?

[patriciaruth]

I sent a box out for the gals today with the following:

2 oz. face cream, box 30 facial cleansing towelettes, box 50 flushable wipes, box 64 pantie liners, Playtex tampons 40 reg and 40 super, package emory boards, 1 manicure set (file, nail clipper, etc), pack of 4 orange sticks, 0.4 oz. cuticle cream, 1 travel toothpaste and brush, floss, and Q-tips, 1 30spf chapstick, bottle iron supplement, 1 yeast suppository/cream combo kit, 4 oz sunscreen, 8 oz.Cetaphil skin lotion, 2 underwear, 1 gum, hotel/magazine samples of deep cleansing oil, facial mask, shampoo, conditioner, face cream. soap, skin lotion, oil, creme

[patriciaruth]

As you noted from the pix we got, there is a definite contingent of gals that would be thrilled with anything you could round up for their special needs and fun.

[McLynnan]

Kettle corn is a "flavor" that's both salty and sweet. It's in the grocery store with all the other microwave popcorn. I'm addicted to it!

What do I need to do to contribute? I have a drawer full of new school supplies I'd love to contribute, and would be glad to get kettle corn, personal hygiene items, or whatever else is needed.

[patriciaruth]

My credit card bill is humungus. Any help you can give me is most appreciated.

Here's what's been collected so far for the troops in the outlying fire bases.

Box 1 for outlying troops (almost full):
books: Shogun and King Rat by James Clavell, Glory Road by Heinlein
DVD movies: Master and Commander, Braveheart, Secondhand Lions, The Gods Must Be Crazy, The Rookie, Ghostbusters
toiletries: 10 each Travel size toothpaste and brush, floss, boxes of 24 wet wipes, Charmin t.p., Q-tips, Kleenex
Personal care: Large 10 oz. Gold Bond foot powder, Medicated bandaids (20 in box), pkg moleskin, Gum to fill holes

Box 2 for outlying troops:
toiletries: 10 travel shaving cream, 10 deodorant, 7 toenail clippers with file, 2 bottles sunscreen lotion spf45 (4 oz), 1 tube sunblock cream 12 oz Spf50, 3 bags of 12 razors
Entertainment: CD holder album, 2 CD's (Classic R&B, and Hits of the 60's), gum to fill holes
Personal Care: 2 tubes fungal cream, 1 pkg moleskin, 0.5 oz natural tears, 1 small bottle vitamins

Box 3 for outlying troops (just starting snacks box):<br. 32 quart size sugared Country Time lemonade mix

[Mo1]

I'll head out this week and pick up a few things to send .. and I'll take a look over at Block Busters and see what they have in their previewed section

[TruthNtegrity]

Kettle Popcorn is a new flavor put out by Reddenbacher's.

Just ask a person who runs a vending machine biz. That's me!

They are available at Sam's, so I'm sure they would also be found at Wal*Mart.

I haven't seen them in my local grocery stores and the only one you'd have out there would be Safeway - but you might try them, too.

I hope this helps.

I sent a box of "girlie stuff" to an NPO in Iraq. Far, far from a ship and far from any BX, it was really difficult for them to get the products they wanted.

As soon as I can, I'm going to send you a check for those items.

Having lived overseas, and lived out of catalogs and BX's, I understand what it is to need American products, and not have them available.

When I returned, I walked into the Field Liaison Office and told them to put a women (or me) in there because they were so difficult to talk to about getting prescriptions or feminine hygiene products, it was ridiculous.

I worked part time in that office for the duration of my stay with that company. And I'm about to play the role again, at Church, for our Missionaries overseas, who need things done for them here. I know exactly what it's like.

I will send you a FReepmail - some notes to include in the packages going to Afghanistan. God bless them all. And God bless you for all you've done and are doing and will do for our troops. I say, Patty, you are a one-woman love machine!

Truthy

[patriciaruth]

Terrific!

I'll communicate with you by FReepmail.

[deadhead]

Hi Patricia. Thank You for the wonderful work you are doing for our troops. Please freepmail me your address, I will shop this week for items.

Colleen

[patriciaruth]

Thanks for the info on Kettle Corn popcorn at hopefully Wal-Mart.

Did you get your packages for the wounded at Walter Reed yet? They were mailed priority on Monday.

[Peach]

Sweet letter from a soldier, Pat. Wish I knew about Kettle corn - if I see anything like it at the store I'll let you know.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Me too!

I have a family looking for a project...

Regards,

WCF

[patriciaruth]

Previous care packages received at Bagram:

June 8, 2004 2 care packages (received on June 16) with
Movies: We Were Soldiers (Mel Gibson), Total Recall (Schwarzenegger), October Sky, Galaxy Quest (Tim Allen), Moscow on the Hudson (Robin Williams), Gettysburg (Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen), Shanghai Knights (Jackie Chan), Open Range (Kevin Cosner), Saving Private Ryan (Tom Hanks, Matt Damon), Independence Day (Will Smith), Glory (Denzel Washington), Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis), Tears of the Sun (Bruce Willis), Frequency (Dennis Quiad), Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnan).
VHS recording of TV movie: Ike/Countdown to D-Day
Books: Pied Piper (Nevil Shute), A Town Like Alice(Nevil Shute), Without Remorse (Tom Clancy), Last of the Breed (Louis L'Amour), The Other (Tom Tryon), Enchantment (Orson Scott Card), The Altman Code (Ludlum book), 25 or so pocket constitutions
Snacks
Candy: 2 boxes 30 Reese's peanut butter Cups, Kitkats, Hershey's, power bars; 1 box 24 M&M's, 1 box 48 Snickers bars, 1 box 24 Almond Snickers
Cookies: (2 boxes Chips Ahoy 12 pkgs of 4, 2 boxes of Oreos 12 pkgs of 3), 4 individual Chips Ahoy pkgs of 4; 4 boxes 6 fudge brownies
box of 8 Carefree sugarless gum
Box of 24 Jolly Time buttered microwave popcorn bags
Magazines: Army on D-Day, 2 women's NRA, AUSA on D-Day
Misc. toiletries to fill in the holes: 4 Q-tips, 4 floss, 2 travel toothpaste/toothbrush, 4 skin cream, 1 baby powder, 3 Kleenex.
30 small flags, 10 thank you notes, Thank you Bagram/Happy Fourth of July sign; picture album of troop support rallies (Tunehead54 and SerpentDove)

Sent on June 16 to Bagram:
5 tapes of the Ronald Reagan funeral ceremonies and processions
Books: Goodbye Darkness-Memoir of WWII in Pacific (William Manchester), Tunnel in the Sky (Robert Heinlein), Far Side cartoon book, Washington the Indispensible Man-biography
Essay on Islam in America
Magazines: Army on Space, Women's NRA, Decision on Bakersfield meeting
2 Jergens mild soap, 2 Carefree gum, 5 stuffed envelops, 1966 music CD

[TruthNtegrity]

I got 'em. Had to go pick them up at the PO. My mailman, who regularly stuffs anything in my mailbox, wouldn't/couldn't do it with the Priority Mailers and left me a "at PO" pink thingy. I was so frosted. I was right down the driveway - I saw him cross my driveway. There is no reason he couldn't have handed them to me. He does that when he has something for me to sign. But Nooooooooooo, not this time.

Grrrrrrr - I am so angry at him. Yet another new one. They show up about once a month. It's getting ridiculous. I must live in a training area or something. Oh joy. NOT.

I hope to go visit Walter Reed tomorrow - and take them some cheer and some presents.

FReepmail me your address, please? I don't have much to send but I'd really like to send something for those toiletries. Those items hit me where I live, if you get my drift.

Blessings, Patty.