Will do! I will be sending one a little earlier to make sure he gets the card by Christmas.
Posted on 11/13/2001 3:14:37 AM PST by Shenandoah
I received the following email:
I wrote back to Colleen suggesting that she contact her local VFW, Marine Corps League, American Legion, and Vietnam Veterans of America. I've also posted her message on American Veterans
I have corresponded with Colleen, so I know this to be valid.
I AM HOPING YOU AND YOUR READERS CAN HELP ME WITH A PROBLEM, I HAVE A NEIGHBOR, A MARINE, WHO DID TWO TOURS IN NAM, HE IS VERY POOR HEALTH AND PROBABLY WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER CHRISTMAS, HE LIVES IN A 3 ROOM HOUSE HE BUILT HIS SELF, HE HAS NO LIVING FAMILY, FEW FRIENDS, EVERY CHRISTMAS I TAKE HIM A BASKET OF GOODIES, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT IS CHRISTMAS CARDS FROM ALL OVER, FROM OTHER VETS, YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW HAPPY THIS WOULD MAKE HIS CHRISTMAS. HE LIVES WITH HIS CAT, AND IN ON OXYGEN AS HE HAS EMPHYSEMA AND IS BASICALLY HOUSEBOUND. PLEASE IF YOU CAN HELP ME, HIS NAME IS RICHARD WORKMAN, AND YOU CAN SEND CARDS TO HIM C/O COLLEEN CASTILLO, 3372 S KNOX, ODESSA,TX 79763
THANKS
--- COLLEEN CASTILLO
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND SUGGESTIONS, THE PROBLEM IS HE DOESN'T WANT ME TO ASK FOR HELP, HE FAIRLY WITHDRAWN, AND AT TIMES EVEN GOES WITH OUT FOOD, UNTIL WE GO OVER AND JUST WALK IN AND CHECK HIS REFRIG. THEN WE BRING HIM FOOD, BUT HE DOESN'T WANTIT, CAUSE HE CAN'T PAY IT BACK. SO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING IN SORT OF A ROUNDABOUT WAY. I JUST THOUGHT IF HE COULD HAVE A BUNCH OF CHRISTMAS CARDS, AND MESSAGES FROM SOME OF HIS MILITARY BROTHERS, IT WOULD BE A GREAT SURPRISE, HE NEVER GETS MAIL, ONLY HIS MONTHLY CHECK, SO ANY HELP YOU CAN BE WOULD BE GREAT!!! THANKS COLLEEN
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP AND ADVICE, I WILL CONTACT PEOPLE YOU SUGGESTED, I KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT, HE IS SO LONELY JUST FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TO, SOMETIMES, HE DOESN'T SEE OR TALK TO ANYONE IN DAYS. AS FOR T SHIRT SIZE, HE PROBABLY WEARS A MEDIUM, HE WAS A SNIPER IN THE WAR, AND DID 2 TOURS IN VIETNAM, HE HAS TROUBLE SLEEPING AND REMEMBERING, SOMETIMES MY HUSBAND TAKES A SIX PACK OVER AND THEY SIT AND TALK, AND THE STORIES HE TELLS, I CANNOT IMAGINE HAVING TO LIVE WITH, LET ALONE LIVE THRU, AND OF COURSE HIS COUNTRY MADE HIM FEEL LIKE A TRAITOR FOR MOST OF THAT, ALTHO THATS NOT TRUE NOW, HE STILL REMEMBERS WHAT HE CAME HOME TO. HIS EMPHYSEMA HAS ADVANCED TO THE POINT HE CAN BARELY LEAVE THE HOUSE AND IS ON OXYGEN ALL THE TIME, THATS WHY I THOUGHT SOME CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HE HAS BEEN THRU, WOULD HELP SO MUCH, THE ONLY MAIL HE EVER GETS ARE BILLS, AND HIS CHECK ONCE A MONTH, WELL THANKS AGAIN, AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS WORKS OUT TO BE, AGAIN, THANKS SO MUCH. COLLEEN
NO I AM NOT A REGULAR POSTER, I JUST CHECKED THE LINK YOU SENT, AND WAS TOUCHED THAT THERE WERE ALREADY RESPONSES, I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL E MAILS, ASKING WHAT ELSE THEY CAN SEND I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A COUPLE OF E MAILS FOR RICHARD, SO HAVE DECIDED TO PRINT THEM AND MAKE A ALBUM WITH THEM IN IT, I HAVE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP, I REALLY WASN'T SURE HOW THIS WOULD GO OVER, BUT YOUR HELP HAS MADE IT EASY, NEARLY EVERYONE I HAVE HEARD FROM SAID BRUCE SENT THIS, AND I WANT TO HELP, I WILL MAKE SURE HE KNOWS THE PACKAGE CAME FROM YOU, AND WHAT A HELP YOU HAVE BEEN TO THIS CAUSE. DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU HEAR BACK FROM HIM. I HAVEN'T LOOKED FORWARD TO A CHRISTMAS SO MUCH SINCE I WAS A KID. THANKS AGAIN, AND WILL KEEP YOU UPDATE ON WHAT I AM SURE IS GOING TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS!!! COLLEEN
BUT...does this lady REALIZE just what she's done? The poor guy will be swimming in cards and letters, and will need someone to help him open/read them all! AWESOME.
Semper Fi,
USMCVet
Will do! I will be sending one a little earlier to make sure he gets the card by Christmas.
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