Care Packages and Thank-You Notes for our Troops in Afghanistan

self | 7-3-04 | patriciaruth

[patriciaruth]

Our troop support group finally found a way to send care packages to our troops in Afghanistan, and I've received a couple letters this week requesting goodies. We're pretty excited about finally making contact, and are inviting others who want to show support to join us.

If you can't afford to contribute money or goods, the troops also really appreciate letters, cards and notes, and request your prayers for their safety and peace of mind.

The first set of care packages and thank you cards and notes that we sent to Afghanistan for the Fourth of July were received with joy and you can read about them on the second half of our last thread, Write a Thank You Note to a Soldier in Iraq this Memorial Day Weekend

We've been collecting goodies and contributions toward the next set of care packages to go to Afghanistan. Our contact there will send them to the troops at the outlying fire bases, and has requested toiletries, movies, paperback books, snacks, and games for them.

Also, there are ongoing requests from a group of soldiers near Kirkuk in Iraq for items for the poor village schools and children in the surrounding area, specifically elementary school supplies and children's toys and crayons 24 to a box are a special project of theirs.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Thanks

[ALOHA RONNIE]

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STEVE MARTIN in "The JERK"
STEVE MARTIN in High School/1960
STEVE MARTIN in OSCARS/2003

I will NEVER FORGET this "JERK" being blessed to crown STEVE MARTIN King of our High School's Freshman Class Dance in 1960.

I will NEVER FORGET witnessing STEVE MARTIN blast MICHAEL MOORE at the OSCARS in 2003 after we Freepers had blasted his arrival there with our widely covered GOD BLESS AMERICA Freep.

I will NEVER FORGET how MEL GIBSON's ICON Productions Funding for "F-9/11" was cancelled shortly afterwards.

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[ALOHA RONNIE]

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..T'was US -vs- THEM at the OSCARS = Results

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=883


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[patriciaruth]

Interesting. Thanks!

So, far I'm dealing with the requests by trying to get them. Afterall John Travolta is the bad guy in Broken Arrow.

But I may gag if someone requests Julia Roberts, whose movies I used to enjoy, and can't now since she called us reptiles, or Pirates of the Carribbean with the guy who trashed the U.S., and lives in France.

[GunnyHartman]

I'll be happy to help. Where do I send the letter?

[Indy Pendance]

Bump! I'm sending stuff to the people I know directly, but any help is appreciated.

[american_ranger]

We have been sponsoring three units, two in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. I talked my company into paying the freight (All three units have former employees in them). We started in April and have sent over 86 boxes so far. My basement has enough stuff to send at least 30 more. Most of this stuff was donated to the cause by good people. There are a lot of people who want to help but you have to get the word out to accomplish that.

Here is what we did.

1. We internet searched for hotels and motels in the area. Copied the address information into Word and set up a mail merge to send them letters asking for donations. Results: 3,000 bottles of hand lotion, thousands of bars of soap, and hundreds of razors.

2. Ditto same approach but to dentists in the area. Results: over a thousand tubes of toothpaste, hundreds of toothbrushes, and hundreds of floss containers. Items were mainly small trial sizes (except toothbrushes) which fit nicely into their packs.

3. New posters in plant every few weeks. Reminding people and even assigning what people should bring based on which department they are in.

3. The big one!!!!

My company wanted to attract attention to their new showroom in Milwaukee. We piggy-backed a "Support Our Troops" event into their grand opening. They used the "Support Our Troops" theme in their advertising all week. On the day of the event (God blessed us with perfect weather) the company hired a popular local radio talk show host to do four call-ins to the station for 1 minute talks. I had previously contacted the three units' commanders and arranged for some of their people to call the radio station on their unit sat phones. I had them call two minutes before our radio personality went on the air (This was all prearranged with the radio station.) The radio station engineer put the guys overseas on the air with our talk show personality. The talk show personality would talk to the guys, ask them how things were, and then ask them what they needed. The one minute spots stretched into 3-5 minutes and the radio producer loved it. Did not even try to charge more or cut it back to 1 minute. Whatever the GI asked for would start showing up about 15 minutes later. Somebody said they needed underwear and packages straight from the store would show up. Packages with $18 price tags.

Results: Over 1,000 pounds of stuff and $550 in cash donations.

I can't do the URL thing but you can get more info at www.theliechtys.com

[patriciaruth]

Great information and suggestions. I'd have to get a charitable donations status from the IRS first though, which I will look into soon. That may be too big for me to handle in the near future, but I can start planning. I'll check into local Rotary which I used to belong to, to see if they can help.

Copying your suggestions now.

[VOA]

bump

[patriciaruth]

Groups here and there all over America are making inroads to our troops in the field. However, there are many pockets of troops without much contact, due to security problems, including the Left Wing group that likes to cozy up to a soldier and then tell them they are baby-killers and the war is evil and illegal and their CIC is a liar.

I'll be interested to see how they fare on Judgment Day.

[Indy Pendance]

The most disappointing thing is, I know many here are sincere and would love to help, but, we can't post their addresses for fear of abuse. I am in contact with several soldiers, and give what I can, my daughter and her friends especially. I'm the 'mom'. I always ask for name of soldiers who don't have that contact, that connection, and I am more than happy to become their 'mom'. We all can do what we can, this is my little way. An email goes a long way. It doesn't cost anything either. Get connected, it's easy if you know someone who knows someone who knows someone...

[patriciaruth]

Those not involved, bear with me. This is the list of DVD's already sent or promised that has been requested by some.

BAGRAM:
Movies:Braveheart (Mel Gibson), Broken Arrow (John Travolta), Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnan), Forever Young (Mel Gibson), Frequency (Dennis Quiad), Galaxy Quest (Tim Allen), Gettysburg (Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen), Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd), Glory (Denzel Washington), The Gods Must Be Crazy, Grand Canyon (Kevin Kline, Alfie Woodard, Steve Martin), Independence Day (Will Smith),The Jerk (Steve Martin), Last of the Dogmen (Tom Berenger, Barbara Hershey), Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis), Master and Commander (Russell Crowe), Moscow on the Hudson (Robin Williams), Moulin Rouge (Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman), My Big Fat Greek Wedding, October Sky, Open Range (Kevin Cosner), The Rookie (Dennis Quaid), Saving Private Ryan (Tom Hanks,Matt Damon), Secondhand Lions (Michael Caine), Shanghai Knights (Jackie Chan), Tears of the Sun (Bruce Willis), Total Recall (Schwarzenegger), We Were Soldiers (Mel Gibson)
In the works Aliens, Lonesome Dove Part I, Mel Brooke's Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, There's Something about Mary, Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar, Airplane!, and Dennis Miller-The Raw Feed, Sleepless in Seattle, Return to Me, Rio Bravo (John Wayne)

KIRKUK:
Along Came a Spider (Morgan Freeman), Antwone Fisher (Denzel Washington), 2 pack with 16 episodes of the Beverly Hillbillies show, Black Beauty, 2 pack with 8 episodes of Bonanza show, Braveheart (Mel Gibson), Bruce Almighty (Jim Carey); Count of Monte Cristo (Jim Caviezel), Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnon), Don't Say a Word (Michael Douglas), Fifth Element(Bruce Willis), Galaxy Quest (Tim Allen), Gettysburg (Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, Tom Berenger); Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd), Glory (Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick), Independence Day (Will Smith), John Wayne 2 pack of 11 of his early western movies, Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis), Lawrence of Arabia (Peter O'Toole, Alec Guiness, Omar Sharif), Master and Commander (Russell Crowe), Men in Black II (Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones), Moscow on the Hudson (Robin Williams), Open Range (Kevin Costner), Radio (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), The Rookie (Dennis Quaid), Second Hand Lions (Michael Caine), Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), Shanghai Noon (Jackie Chan), Starship Troopers, Tears of the Sun (Bruce Willis), Total Recall (Arnold Schwarzenegger),True Lies (Schwarzenegger), Signs (Mel Gibson), We Were Soldiers (Mel Gibson), VHS: Fletch (Chevy Chase)

[Copernicus]

Thank you for this thread.

I hope a few people might be able to help out here also: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160952/posts?page=155#155

Perhaps it would be possible to create a "Supply Depot" wishlist thread?

Best regards,

[patriciaruth]

People want to send boxes directly, but for security, I can't let out our APO's to any except a very few highly trusted FReepers. It was too hard getting those APO's and I don't want to abuse the trust of those soldiers who gave them to me.

It's a necessity to check items coming in, rebox and mail them. But for a lot of people shopping for the troops is much more fun just sending a check.

[Indy Pendance]

I hear you. I never give out addresses of soldiers, but I'm in contact with at least 6 of them. I totally understand your position. It's a shame it's the way it is though.

[Indy Pendance]

In my situation, I have personally met my soldiers who I send stuff to. But, I'm an army mom.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

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"WE WERE SOLDIERS"

The Movie
http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com

The Story
http://www.lzxray.com

The Photos
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection


ENJOY

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[Indy Pendance]

Gotta click and listen, awesome music.

[2Jedismom]

Reading your post just gave me the shivers!!! Good job!!

[dalebert]

bump