December 2, 2005, VeniVidiVici mailed 3 huge boxes to MI at Kirkuk weighing 30 lbs each and containing:
2 DVD players
1 Santa hat
10 magazines and newspapers.
Large number of Christmas stockings stuffed with cocoa mix, candy, toys, etc.
December 3, 2005, I mailed 6 boxes to MI at Kirkuk with 11 stuffed stockings. Postage of $52.70 total for all boxes was paid by a local optometrist. I had some specialty soaps on hand and a recent donation by Mass55th enabled me to put more items in the stockings than originally planned.
Box 1
Insured $42.68
2 decorated Christmas stockings (contents below)*
Box 2
Insured $45.14
2 decorated Christmas stockings
Box 3
Insured $44.36
2 decorated Christmas stockings
Box 4
Insured $44.30
2 decorated Christmas stockings
Box 5
Insured $37.06
2 decorated Christmas stockings
Box 6
Value $20.29
1 decorated Christmas stocking
11 bags Act II microwave popcorn, 6 Butter, 5 Kettle Corn
2 snowmen inflatable beach balls
*All stockings contained:
1 regular size Spangler’s peppermint stripe candy cane
Christmas print ziplock baggie with 1 Cella’s chocolate covered cherry with clear liquid center, 1 Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolate ball, 2 half dollar gold foil chocolate coins, 6 Hershey’s Kisses (2 almond, 2 milk chocolate, 2 cherry crème cordial), 1 Russell Stover chocolate Santa (marshmallow or caramel), tiny bag of 10 Jelly Belly jelly beans),
1 pack of 4 Chips Ahoy cookies 1.4 oz or 1 pack of 4 Oreo cookies 2 oz
1 pack of 4 Austin cheese crackers with cheddar cheese 1.38 oz
1 envelop of Quaker oatmeal (maple and brown sugar, apples and cinnamon, banana bread or cinnamon roll)
1 envelop of Swiss Miss hot chocolate with marshmallow bits or plain
1 Slim Jim spicy smoked jerked all beef sausage .28 oz
1 penguin print cellophane bag with 3 oz cashew nuts and 2 bite size Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 tube .85 oz Colgate toothpaste
Bonus item: either box 30 Q-tips, box 55 yds J&J mint waxed floss, or tube 1 oz. Jergen’s ultra-healing skin cream
2-3 toys [an unfortunate purchase from a catalog]: sponge reindeer shooter, Santa or snowman balloon racer car, pop-up figures (snowmen, Santa, toy soldier, penguin), rocket flyer, sponge glider.
7 stockings also had:
Mennen speed stick 27/7 deodorant .5 oz
Tube of Gillette shaving gel in 4, 2.5 oz aerosol can of Gillette shaving gel in 3
1 pack 5 Gillette Twin disposable razors
Pert Plus medium shampoo 1.7 oz
1 plastic bottle Gold Bond body powder 1 oz
1 soap box with 4.2 oz Vermont sandalwood soap in 6, 4.5 oz bar Jergen’s soap in 1
4 stockings also had:
Suave raspberry solid deodorant 1.6 oz
Aerosol can of Skintimate raspberry shaving gel 2.75 oz
1 pack 4 Personna Speed3 lavender colored razors
1 Dove conditioning shampoo 2 oz
1 tube 2 oz moisturizing cream (sun-kissed plumeria or morning flower scent)
1 travel soap box with 3.5 oz English soap (hibiscus, orchid, jasmine, cherry blossom)
For details on what went out to the troops in care packages these past 5 days, see posts below
Post 1093, Daybreakcoming sent 34 Christmas messages from FReepers in boxes with other goodies to Tel Afar, Engineers at Baghdad, and Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo
Post 1112, kattracks mailed 2 boxes to the Engineers at Baghdad
Post 1117, Ros42 mailed 1 box to Mosul and 2 boxes to psyops at Baghdad
Post 1118, Nina0113 mailed 5 boxes, some large, to Bagram air base in Afghanistan.
Post 1120, details on the 20 boxes mailed to Tal Afar by a local optometrist.
Post 1123, VeniVidiVici and I sent Christmas stockings to MI at Kirkuk. Veni, Vidi also sent 2 DVD players
If you send anything perfumed (soap, deodorant, candles) in a box that also includes food, the food becomes inedible due to the fragrances from the soap and deodorant!!!
Please remind everybody to keep food separate from anything perfumed/scented!
I have also been making modified pants, shorts and T-Shirts for Ward 57 (Orthopedics) at Walter Reed. For some, I start with store-bought, but for pants, it's easier to start with fabric and a modified pattern.
I also found a group who are making helmet liners and sending them overseas. Can be knit or crocheted. Makes wearing a helmet a lot more comfy in cold weather as they protect not only the head but also the neck.
If anyone is interested in the sewing or knitting/crocheting projects, please FReepmail and I'll give you the details.
It might be, Patty, that some of your groups might like the helmet liners but they aren't on the list of recipients for this group I found. Maybe we can expand the numbers of those who are getting these much-needed personal items?
If you want to ask, by email, if any of them would appreciate these items, I can certainly start sending to your contacts as well!!