Posted on 09/25/2004 5:41:24 PM PDT by McLynnan
Although I rarely post (no time!), I email frequently with our contact in Kirkuk and try to stay in touch with PatriciaRuth. "C" in Kirkuk and I have been discussing the upcoming holidays, and what a tough time of year it is for our troops who are so far from home. I told him while there was nothing I could do to bridge the miles between them and their families, maybe I could provide things that would help give the desert that nice Christmas-y feeling. He gave me a very modest list, but it’s more than I can handle on my own. HELP!!! After talking with Patty, she generously loaned me her ping list so I could see if anybody is interested in contributing. Since she’s on overload with her other troop work, I offered to start this thread and try to get things organized.
Would any of you like to get involved? I know our Kirkuk troops would appreciate anything we can do. Here’s what C has asked for:
“We could use two trees with the ornaments and lights, wall decorations and more lights for around the rooms, stockings for 82 personnel and some gift wrap. Music CD's would be good, candy canes, Christmas cards and if possible a Santa suit.
I think that would be good. We are good on calling cards as I have stock-piled enough for all that need it.
Please include a list of contributors in an email to me so that I can honor them properly. Thanks for all your support!! I know that the men and women we have serving over here will greatly appreciate this generous on-taking”.
The Christmas cards need to be sent soon so they have time to address and send them back home. Ditto for the gift wrap. Would any of you with sewing skills be willing to stitch up some stockings?
Can you get a list for us. Will see what I can find.
When they send a list, then I'll post a thread and ping you all.
Meanwhile, they DO NOT want snacks and toiletries; they have plenty of them.
You're on for the Playstation2.
Mail them that now and send the games later. Let's get them excited as fast as possible.
I'll FReep you the address.
lagniappe
You all got cajun blood?
OK, we'll do three stockings with gal stuff and the rest guy stuff. I was in Bath and Body Works the other day, and they had some great little bottles of sweet smellin shower gel and body lotion; perfect for helping the gals feel a little less like 'soldiers' in their 'off' time.
I have a playstation one and a vcr that I will be glad to send. Let me know how you want me to do this.
Nope. But the food is delicious, the locals are charming and funny, the fishing is second to none, and I've got 5 acres to retire on near Morgan City just waiting for me to turn ... whatever age I decide I want to retire. (Some minor tree and brush clearing required of course).
Louisiana is where I'd very much like to be from.
Nintendo 64 & 35 games
Daughter and I got the last 10 stockings on the rack at Hobby Lobby today. So let me know what you have going. I
don't know the original breakdown on the first group, but I bought men & women body bath gel and individual bottles to put them in for our 25 stockings. Razors & chapstick. I didn't get candy because Walmart didn't have what I was looking for.
And I forgot things like sunflower seeds. Will get to that in the next day or so. Thinking of renewing membership to Sams, see if that isn't a better place to pick some of this up.
I'm planning the girls decorating and filling 12 stockings. I hope to have them done by the first week in Nov. and I'll ship them directly to Kirkuk.
Are the 3 women in the Kirkuk group?
I assumed so, since patriciaruth mentioned them.
Do you have all the moving parts to the Nintendo64? What does the 64 stand for?
I'll FReep you the Baghdad address if you want to mail them all out, with instructions on customs forms.
I've got a new address for a brigade that just arrived in Iraq, a nephew of airborne.
Soon as I scope out their situation, I'll let you know where to ship it. Do you reside in Maine? It may be cheaper to send to an East Coast address if so.
asgardshill is sending a Playstation to our new contact in Baghdad that doesn't have one.
Be sure not to send any glass containers.
Lotions, creams, wet wipes, etc. must be sealed in ziplock baggies.
Liquids, like mouthwash, perfume, aftershave...are absolutely forbidden, due to the alcohol content. You can't send priority by USPS anything with alcohol content-- it is considered flammable/explosive and can't go on the planes.
I've been out of town, and just saw your post. Thank you so much for sharing your email. It really tugs at the heartstrings, doesn't it?
Oh, Mo, I'm so sorry about the shipping mix-up. Thanks for going that extra mile.
Just checking in with you ladies. I read all your posts and you seem to have everything under control. Thanks so much for all your hard work. Let me know if you need anything.
Thanks for all the tips. I'm going to check with the gals in the Hobbit Hole who have been sending stuff to get some packing tips and recommendations for stocking stuffers.
64 is the generation before the current incarnation... game cube. Everything is ready to go, but we are going to buy at least 2 new controllers (they are cheap, $5 or so).
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