CARE PACKAGES for our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2005

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

[patriciaruth]

Time for a new thread!

Our Merry Band of Patriots has seen a psy-ops unit at Bagram, Afghanistan, help educate voters in Afghanistan and come home successfully, while we supported them and special forces in the field by sending over 100 movies and many packages of snacks and toiletries and Hallowe'en candy. A Christmas tree and decorations (Daybreakcoming) and stockings (Ican'tbelieveit) and cards and over 400 candy canes were sent for their follow-on unit, and a box with movies and magazines and misc is just beginning to fill for their next care package. The movies and books we sent previously went into the Special Forces library there.

We've seen Beast Battery at Kirkuk, Iraq, through till their deployment home, sending them over 100 movies and dozens of books and a microwave and DVD/VCR player (from arjay) and many big boxes of snacks. Plus a huge wave of goodies was organized by McLynnan for Christmas in Kirkuk (2 prelit trees, ornaments, Santa suit, many stockings with stuffers, many cards, and a couple thousand candy canes to share out with all the forces there).

We've supported the 411th Engineers at Baghdad in 2004 with about 70 movies and several dozen books, a Playstation 2 and a Nintendo console with a couple dozen games (from asgardshill and ican'tbelieveit), a 4 foot Christmas tree and ornaments and boxes of snacks and many cards and 600 candy canes. In the next couple months we will be bidding them Godspeed as they return to their homebase in Hawaii.

We've sent over 50 movies, a DVD/VCR player (from arjay), and a dozen and a half books to an MI unit near Kirkuk, plus some Christmas decorations and stocking stuffers, and many cards and 156 candy canes. They have mostly left for home now and we just sent a package with more movies to their follow-on unit.

Also we have sent some packages to an Aviation unit at Balad, Iraq and to an Infantry Medics unit, and a small Christmas package each to another AVN unit and an MP unit.

Stryker Infantry company formerly at Fallujah and now at Mosul since November has been the major focus of our care packages these past months. All of Stryker at Mosul has taken fire, and our adopted company has suffered a KIA and some soldiers with severe injuries.

Early on we sent food items (mostly power bars and dried fruit and nuts) then Christmas stockings stuffed with goodies and many cards and 200 candy canes, and since Christmas have begun sending movies. They recently received a DVD/VCR player (from arjay) and with the movies just mailed today their collection will total about 75 movies and a dozen books.

And all this happened because our grassroots volunteer group began forming in the early summer of 2001 to send care packages to Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, when the 101st Airborne and then the 10th Mountain were there.

The contents of packages just mailed will be listed in post below.

[MJY1288]

Yes, and I plan on signing up to buy a few. I think it's a great idea

[daybreakcoming]

I have picked up several bags of individually wrapped chocolate candy, candy canes, 6 bags of individually wrapped candies & bubble gum for the Iraqi children, four boxes of cocoa mix, can of lemonade mix and a 2 lb box of goldfish crackers. I've gathered up 21 spy action thriller type books to send. Also picked up some bundles of silk poinsettas and holly. I'll send a detailed count later. One of my girls is having a b'day sleepover tonight and right now I have troop stuff and b'day decor scattered all over the den. One of the b'day activities tonight will be each girl writing a Christmas card to put in the box. Also going to contact a couple of teachers I know and see if they will let their classes send cards. I will supply boxes of assorted Christmas cards if so. Also, my sis who works in the Legislature and in serious session now has told people of this project and people are bringing her stuff. More about that later.

[iceskater]

I think we should send something festive for holiday decorations.

[CAluvdubya]

Here is an update so we all know what we have so far going to Tal Afar, in addition to daybreakcoming's boxes in post #962.

This is what I have picked up so far:
2 large tins butter cookies
2 large plastic jars Christmas cookies,
1 large bag assorted name brand candy bars
8 bags of Bubble Yum bubble gum
5 DVDs (My Cousin Vinnie, The Dirty Dozen, The Waterboy, U.S. Marshals, James Bond--Die Another Day) DVD title suggestions by a local Marine who was in Fallujah last Christmas.
3 pkgs tinsel
2 boxes 100 multi colored lights.
20 handmade Christmas Cards by kindergartners.

I am heading out today to get hot chocolate, hot spiced tea, more name brand candy, and some noise makers and hats for New Years.

I will have my boxes in the mail on Monday.

Kattracks has 4 boxes going out:
9 assorted sprigs (Holly, Poinsettias)
10 small Christmas stockings
2 stuffed Christmas dolls (Santa & Reindeer)
6 Boggle head Santa dolls w/candy
2 jingle bell ornaments
4 plastic bells and ornaments garlands. (9 ft. each)
3 tinsel garlands (9 ft. each)
3 Styrofoam snowball heads
6 Christmas candles (3 regular, 1 each Santa, snowman, toy soldier)
1 Santa hat & blinking nose
1 Elf hat w/ ears (lol)
13 pkgs. regular candy canes (12 per pkg)
2 pkgs. small candy canes
17 pkgs. cookies (Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Famous Amos)
6 tins Christmas butter cookies
9 pkgs Hot choc. mix (8 per package)
14 pkgs. candy (4 Hershey's Christmas candy, 2 Hershey Christmas miniatures and 8 bags assorted choc. Christmas candy
7 pkgs. Marshmallow Santas & Snowmen (50 total)
1 one lb. plastic container spice drops
2 one lb. plastic container roasted peanuts

From SENClander:
2 boxes (60 pkg each)of Swiss Miss hot chocolate
1 box (48 pkg)of Land O Lakes flavored hot chocolate (hazelnut, cinnamon, french vanilla, etc)
1 box (40 pkg)of Motts spiced cider
1 tub of mini candy canes (350!)
2 12' tinsel red/green garland
ornaments
friends gathering Christmas cards.

Looks like we are going to make a very Merry Christmas for out troops!

[nina0113]

Suggestion on the Christmas Cards - I took boxes in to work & put a message on the electronic bulletin board. I got about 20 done that way, & I'm planning to re-post the message next week.

I'm going to send my first box of stuff out tomorrow - I need the space! I'll post a list then.

[Abigail Adams]

Thanks for the quick replies from the following Freepers who are volunteering to buy Christmas items for our Stryker Brigade in Mosul!

The Right Stuff: Food, Christmas decorations

LittleBlogSpot: Hot chocolate, Christmas decorations

kattracks: Hot chocolate, Christmas decorations, Christmas music CDs

(Detailed lists to follow when things are purchased.)

[Ros42]

Great idea on the Xmas Cards, thank you!

[Ros42]

Per Request from Psyops in Baghdad I just ordered:

1-9 piece Velveteen Santa Suit
1- "Belly" Booster for under suit
1- Santa's Bag

I'll receive it Wednesday and can ship it out then.

[SENClander]

I'm still sitting with my granddogs and grandcat down here in Georgia, but will be home next week and can get my boxes off. I have several bags of Christmas candy, some sports magazines, and other stuff I can't think of right now (senior moment). I've got packed but not sealed -- four flat rate boxes and two larger boxes. I have several 'gently read' books I can add -- westerns and spy thrillers. Will let you know when I get the boxes in the mail.

[patriciaruth]

A SANTA SUIT for Psyops at BAGHDAD?

That is so cool!

Wow, you are generous!

Cheers!
Patty

[patriciaruth]

You're pet sitting?

Ah, nothing like a grandma to keep the homefires burning while the kids are away...

Do you hire out? :-)

[patriciaruth]

I read your big list goodies and the news about the Santa suit you are sending to psyops at BAGHDAD, and they sure lucked out when you volunteered to be their Christmas angel.

WOW!

FReepmail coming.

[mathluv]

I was a sub today for a 4th grade teacher. This school always has a fantastic Veteran's Day program, recognizing the local vets. They have the school halls decorated for the vets to visit. I asked these 60 kids to color some Christmas pictures to send to our group. I have about 200 pictures.

I also have some candy, and will get more. Swat Team has some ornaments and decorations to send. Since their request was for movies and candy, I want to send that as well as festive material.

We need volunteers and suggestions.

[mathluv]

I just checked my mail. They have 2 TV and 1 DVD player. Maybe another DVD player? Any other suggestions?

[patriciaruth]

Ping.

mathluv is heading the Christmas care packages for the Engineers at Baghdad project for which I am currently happily shilling.

Enjoy looking around.

[patriciaruth]

Here's our thread, so you can look around and decide if you want on the permanent ping list.

Cheers!

[patriciaruth]

ping

[patriciaruth]

I missed your post asking about decorations for the Engineers at BAGHDAD. I will email our contact with the current ECB at Baghdad, and ask if they still have any of the following items we mailed last year.

Last year, November 12, 2004, Abigail Adams, to mailed these to the Engineers unit that was in Baghdad
2 DVD's- "White Christmas" "It's A Wonderful Life"
Holiday decorations –
3 9-foot evergreen garlands –
21 small Xmas decorations on bendable wire stem (like glittery pine cones, plastic gifts, gold instruments, etc.)
10 soft Xmas hanging ornaments (like Santa in a stocking, snowmen in stockings, hat and mittens, etc.) –
10 small felt stockings

And I mailed last year to the previous ECB at Baghdad
Box 1
Plastic green folliage wreath 18" diameter
Tree ornaments: 18 colored balls, 2 Goofy balls, 2 white with poinsettia balls, 2 white with colored glass drops balls, 1 crystal heart, 3 small gold tone bells with red ribbon, 4 gold glittered pine cones, 1 homemade stack of blue-wrapped presents, Box ornament hooks, Tree top star. Under tree toys:
1 Hallmark train engine (for the Engineers) that lights up, turns wheels and goes choo-choo when turned on by plugging in a tree light,
2 tiny plastic deer

Box 2,
4 ft. artificial Christmas tree (Canadian pine) and stand
box tinsel
2 strings colored clear mini-lights
dingy glittering snow tree skirt and 2 white paper sheets,
Tree top ornament (Dove)

[shezza]

Hi, Patty...just a quick update about packages. Right now the flight time for Priority is GREAT. I sent two large, heavy boxes to Afghanistan and it took five days. Five days! That's less time than it takes to get a box to my mom in Texas! In about two weeks, however, the Christmas crunch is going to start delaying shipments, even Priority ones, so NOW is the time to get boxes out.

And speaking of getting boxes out, the two boxes I sent to darling hubby at CentCom in Kabul had eight bags of candy (hard as well as chocolates...it's cold enough now that it won't melt in transit); Thanksgiving decorations (turkey, pilgrims, orange/brown ribbon, leaves, pumpkin centerpiece) which he gave to the mess hall; Thanksgiving cards to the troops from our Boy Scouts; a large bag of potpourri (mmmmm, baked apples); four boxes of gourmet tea bags (the Aussie troops especially appreciated this, he said); and a holiday rug to put on the cement floor by hubby's bed.

Getting ready to go out next week is the Christmas shipment of two large boxes: four boxes of candy canes; a 24" Christmas tree with LED lights (battery operated); a 4-foot tree; two boxes of non-breakable gold ornaments; three boxes of smaller wooden ornaments; gold "star" tinsel; two 60-light strings of LED lights (I figured LED lights would be less hassle as well as less expense to operate); 6 boxes of Christmas cards for the troops to give each other/send home to loved ones; an adorable "army" nutcracker; a 12" wreath with over-the-door hanger; two 9' garlands; 4 CDs of Christmas music; dark chocolate (dh says they can't get dark chocolate there...Hershey's Symphony and the variety bag of little bite-size bars are most welcomed); and a tin of homemade cookies for our anniversary coming up.

We're going to put together similar boxes for my sister-in-law at Bagram and my brother's unit at Ramstein (minus the anniversary cookies). I have their son living with me until his parents get back home next year.

Thanks, Patty and team leaders, for all you do for our great troops!

[patriciaruth]

Thanks for all the information, shezza!

Mail seems to be flowing well to the major established bases.

It has been taking 12 days or so for packages to get to Tal Afar, in Iraq, but the FOB there is still getting established.

Compared to previous wars, it's wonderful. And email communication is simply miraculous.

Thanks for all your info. It's fun to read what you sent.

Prayers for your hubby's safety and please send him our gratitude for his courageous service for our country and the cause of freedom.