CARE PACKAGES for our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2005

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1273305/posts ^ | 2-18-05 | patriciaruth

[rockthecasbah]

ping me. Thx.

[patriciaruth]

You're now on the permanent ping list.

fun name. :-)

We've just sent over 50 packages to the troops for the 4th of July and are hoping to get some pictures back to share in the the weeks ahead.

Enjoy!

[The Last Rebel]

Ping me too.

TLR

[patriciaruth]

you got er. Welcome. Hang around and see what goes on.

[handy]

Thanks for the ping.

On a personal note...
I sit next to a former Marine @ work. He has several buddies in Iraq that he exchanges emails with. One of them got approval to mount a license plate on the front of the Humvee and asked if we could ship a number "3" plate to him. We trotted out to the mall & picked up plates & stickers of Dale & Jr and sent them over the Iraq. No pictures yet, bey we got an emial that there are two Humvees with a "3" and "8" on them traveling around. Apparently they have been well received. Truth be told, I think I got just as excited about it as my buddies friends did. If I get a digital shot I'll post it here.

We also collect the neighbors Sunday papers & send them over along with used paperbacks. Apparently they get passed around and fully read. I wonder if the editorials piss them off as much as used to irritate me before I cancelled the paper.

[patriciaruth]

Not sure what the 3 and the 8 stand for. Is it related to NASCAR?

I'll put you on the permanent ping list so you can follow the fun here.

Feel free to post news from the front here, and special requests.

Cheers!
Patty

[nina0113]

How have I never been on this ping list?

What should I be buying & where should I send it? To you, or to someone directly in Iraq/Afghanistan?

One of our priests was reserves & got called up for Iraq, so our church has done a drive, but it seemed like so little. Also, when you send the entire parish out to buy exactly the same stuff over a week, the stores get stripped bare. I had a heck of a time finding plain black pocket combs, of all things.

Thanks for all you're doing!

[patriciaruth]

How have I never been on this ping list?

Lucky?

Hi!

Your luck just ran out. You are now on the ping list.

Welcome! :-)

[nina0113]

I think my luck just ran IN.

I'll be heading out shopping as soon as it gets too hot for yard work (probably 10 Eastern) so if you have a list ready, I'll pick up what I can.

[patriciaruth]

What should I be buying & where should I send it? To you, or to someone directly in Iraq/Afghanistan?

Not very many of our troops need combs, but we are doing a toiletries drive for Bagram, Afghanistan, (soap, shaving gel, toothpaste, deodorant still needed). FReepmail me if you want to make up a box.

Or you could send me a check, money order, cash (for popcorn and cookie snacks for the troops), Walmart shopping card (for Gold Bond body powder for a Battery Combat Team at Kirkuk), or a Target gift card (for toiletries for Bagram), or an Amazon gift certificate (for movies and books or a DVD player for the troops).

We have a Paypal account, but about the only place I can use it is at eBay, and I have already bought the 4th of July decorations and about all the movies I care to there. And Paypal will take $2.50 off the top of whatever you send.

I'm going to hit up a generous, patriotic local donor in the next few days for some more headlamps for Mosul. If he can't afford any more, I'll be looking for other donors to continue that project.

Or you can suggest something you have or think they might like and I can check if any of our adopted units would want it.

We kind of go with the flow here. We send what they ask for and dream up stuff they might like.

Let me know.

[tax]

please put me on the ping list..

[patriciaruth]

Done. Welcome!

[handy]

Not sure what the 3 and the 8 stand for. Is it related to NASCAR?

You bet. :-)

[shezza]

Hey, patriciaruth. You are an ANGEL! Thanks for taking such good care of our troops. DH is on his way to Afghanistan (he did Iraq in 2003 -- at least this tour won't be nearly as hot), and we also plan on sending him items to hand out to the places he visits as a coalition liason officer (orphanages, hospitals, schools). My sons' Boy Scout troop is collecting socks, because very few people have socks, even in the dead of winter (and many don't even have shoes).

One of the girls at church is engaged to a soldier in Iraq and she says whenever she sends him a care package, his buddies all gather around to see what he got, because many soldiers never get anything and just get pleasure out of seeing someone else get a goodie box. So she started sending little things for lots of others, and now practically the entire unit cheers when this soldier's name is called out during mail call, because they know there will be something in his box for them. She said there are many soldiers in her fiance's unit that don't even get a letter from back home, much less a box. Can you imagine?

Again, thanks for keeping this Care Packages for the Troops program going. Big hugs!

[patriciaruth]

Bless that gal at church who seems to have adopted a unit all by herself.

Let us know if DH needs anything, and please post any news like this here anytime. It makes our day to hear news.

[shezza]

Roger, wilco. And please put me on your *ping* list!

[patriciaruth]

That's what I would have guessed, but always ask an expert when you aren't sure is the best lesson I have learned in life.

Cool photos.

Do you have any NASCAR goodies you'd like to send to some troops?

[patriciaruth]

You're in.

Now I'm for a nap.

[blackie]

Troop support ~ Bump!

[patriciaruth]

Email from our psyops group in BAGHDAD!

(U) Thank You From Baghdad
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Dear Patty;

Thank you so much for the three boxes of goodies. We are having a Fourth of July BBQ to celebrate, and will be decorating the headquarters with all the favors you sent. We’ll be sure to send pictures.

Best regards,

(LTC)***
Commanding