Posted on 06/14/2006 10:04:45 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
During the Father's Day weekend of June 17-18, 2006 hundreds of volunteers will join together at the California Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys to continue the Patriotic Drive and assemble Operation Gratitude’s 150,000th Care Package for shipment to a U.S. Service Member deployed overseas. Operation Gratitude Director of Operations, Charlie Othold, expects to hit this milestone moment approximately 1:00p.m. on Saturday, June 17th.
In addition to regular Wish List items provided by more than 50 Corporate Sponsors and Friends, and by tens of thousands of individual donors across the country, the 150,000th Care Package will feature a DVD Player and a special collection of DVDs. The 150,000th Care Package will also include a 2-Night Stay at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada.
New and returning volunteers will gather at the National Guard Armory between 10am-5 pm on June 17th & 18th to assemble an additional 12-14,000 Patriotic Care Packages. By the end of the weekend, Operation Gratitude will have assembled over 45,000 packages during this 2006 Patriotic Drive, which started over the Armed Forces and Memorial Day Weekends in May.
Tens of thousands of deployed troops have received the surprise Care Packages since Operation Gratitude sent its first shipment in March, 2003, and they express their appreciation through a constant flow of letters, emails and pictures, as seen in the Mail Call and Photo Gallery sections of the www.operationgratitude.com website.
"I want to express a heartfelt "Thank you" for all the work you are doing in support of what we, the soldiers are doing over here so far from home. I, along with several of my soldiers, have nobody at home to support us during our deployment, and the receipt of your packages was a marvelous boost to our spirits.Imagine a young private, orphaned at the age of 4 away from home for the first time in 20 years. He isn't expecting anything from the foster parents who raised him, and his expectations are met. Suddenly, the Platoon Sergeant calls out his name .... "You've got a box!" The soldier's eyes light up as he rushes over to get his box.
Inside he finds new socks.... he needs them because the laundry has lost two pairs already. He also finds sunblock "Thank God," he laughs (the PX is sold out) "It's hot out there on guard duty." Also he spies AA batteries. "Now I can listen to my walkman before I go to bed tonight." (Try finding AA batteries at the PX!)
This is just a small look into the joy that Operation Gratitude brings. Hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers are feeling the same way right now because of your work. Along with my thanks, I salute you. SSG S.G."
I was there with my 12yr old daughter for the Memorial day weekend... Sun and Mon 5 hours each day.... we had such a great time....
This is awesome!
I think I remember you mentioned you were going.
It is an amazing atmosphere; I love the Boy and Girl Scouts helping, they work so hard!
I'll be going back this coming Sunday.
Please don't take this post as advertising or bragging; just want you all to see how our loved and admired troops are still being cared for... as we speak!
You are doing great work.
Wooohoooo!! Excellent! :-)
Wonderful! Bravo!
Thanks for the ping La Enchiladita.
Sure thing, fatima. Wanted to be sure Taz and you all know what a huge crowd of volunteers assembles to do this, and what a tiny part one person is. The Assembly Room at the Armory becomes a big crazy beehive boxing factory. It's really nuts. So I get a tiny part of it, which this last time was addressing customs forms. All other info has been typed on the form, we just write in the soldier name and addy, and sign it.
During past drives, I went on off days to sort donations, fold t-shirts (and then fold them again because we did it "wrong" the first time!), pushed boxes along the line to be filled and also assembled correspondence packets.
Every box receives a beautiful patriotic card from OpGratitude, a couple of letters and a couple of hand-written cards (often from children).
I'm hoping to get rid of my cold so I can go back on this coming Sunday. (More photos of troops and volunteers at the website.)
Using the collective you....
Every one involved is wonderful.
;^)
"Please don't take this post as advertising or bragging;"
Hey, you are bragging--on our TROOPS!
They rock!
And thank you for your service--encouraging them!
You're an angel! Thanks for caring for those defending our freedom!
UGH! My LEAST favorite part! LOL
Isn't that nice beautiful.
I knew you would KNOW what I's talkin' about. ;^]
However, it's a lot easier with most of it pre-printed in this case.
I gotta learn how to do that!!
I just got back from the PO sending 115 pounds of love and care to Iraq! Wooohooo!!
That is HUGE Star! Congratulations and now envisioning the smiling faces and happy hearts of our heroes!
They used to run the forms through an electronic typewriter, now it looks as though they are done by computer and/or a print shop!
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.