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?
Great. I gave the battalion in Baghdad first dibs on your Nintendo.
Remember when sending such items, that you have to take out the batteries, and send an unopened package of new batteries with them. The USPS considers loaded batteries an electrical hazard on airplanes, and unsealed batteries are considered a chemical leak hazard.
How's the Microwave shipping going, Mike?
You up to getting a VCR from New Perspective and sending it to our new address in Baghdad?
(He's also offered a Playstation1, but I'm waiting for info on a new unit deploying to Camp Liberty, Iraq, before I advise what to do with that goodie)
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.....
Shipped, and yes I will be glad to mail off a VCR
FReepmailing New Perspective where to send the VCR.
Oh what fun it is to ... give away season cheer.
I just love this, :-).
Hey there McLynnan .. no biggy on the mailing .. The important thing is they get the tree in time for Christmas
I am ready for an address to send 25 stockings, stuffed. And some extra stuffing stuff for the the other 45. FReepmail it to me, :-).
Oh, boy! Those stockings really look stuffed!
You're getting me in the holiday mood with the pretty stockings. I hope this week goes okay so we can all celebrate the holidays with light hearts.
THANK YOU for doing this work of love for our troops!
They are very stuffed, we had a blast. I can't thank you guys for giving us the opportunity to help out.
And, I hope this next week goes well also. I have been kind of down all day today, can't quite place what is causing it.
You were on a natural high while you were doing the stockings.
Now your body is saying, "Rest a bit, please."
Kick back for a few days. Read an uplifting book or do something relaxing and fun.
Your stockings sound fantastic. I am relaxing right now after our doings. Have Thanksgiving coming up... kids have this huge pumpkin that we are going to convert into pies. Should be fun. Probably get started on that in the next few weeks.
Right now I am busy working on an afghan for my friend who should be back from Afghanistan in a couple of weeks (according to his most recent communique).
Hi, y'all! Belatedly checking in. I've had FReepmail with many of you, and am glad to report you've done a fantastic job for Kirkuk. I think everything they asked for is covered.
For the stocking group: LakeLady is sending 20 stockings, along with lots of other goodies. That will help tremendously with the stocking quota. Thanks so much!
PatriciaRuth, I bought lots of candy canes and miscellaneous items, and will repack the box you sent me and have it off to Kirkuk tomorrow afternoon.
Potlatch, your contribution went towards candy canes, garlands, and a wreath. Hope this is okay with you. I still haven't taken your check to the bank! Promise I'll deposit it soon though.
Our contact in Kirkuk has been on leave and should return in the next few days. I bet he's going to be thrilled to see the pile of boxes he has to open.
Let me know if any of you need anything. FReepmail me if it's time sensitive -- I don't always have time to check my pings, but will make an effort to check this thread more often over the next week. I know we'll all be very busy late Tuesday night celebrating W's victory!
I wish I had even the slightest scintilla of artistic talent. I am in awe of people that can do stuff like that decoration on the stockings without burning down the house or cutting themselves to bloody strips with the scissors like I do.
Oh, I think you flatter us way too much. We bought premade stockings and used glitter paint to write the words. I let someone else do the sewing and such.
No inordinate flattery intended. When it comes to art, I'm like the person you've been told would lose one and break the other if handed two ball bearings in a padded room. The skill runs in my family, but I received none of it :)
Thanks to you, McLynnan and patriciaruth for all you do and the opportunities y'all give us to honor our troops!!!!!
You are being too modest about those stockings. They are perfection! Several people in Kirkuk are going to be blown away when they get them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.