Posted on 01/21/2006 3:06:06 PM PST by patriciaruth
Welcome to the 2006 thread of the Merry Band of Patriots!
Our grassroots, volunteer group of troop supporters has been sending care packages to servicemen and women in war zones since the summer of 2001 when we began by sending VHS movies and Snickers candy bars to the 101st Airborne and then later the 10th Mountain at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.
This last year we sent a couple hundred care packages to troops at Baghdad, Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar in Iraq, at Bagram in Afghanistan, at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo and to our wounded at Landstuhl Regional Hospital in Germany.
Our specialty in the past has been movies, books, snacks, holiday decorations and some appliances like DVD players and Playstations, and we have sent hundreds of movies to various bases.
This last year we had 6 main projects in addition to the usual care packages:
1. We sent over 80 state-of-the-art Petzl headlamps to our adopted company of Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Mosul and 35 to an MI unit at Kirkuk. This was probably the most appreciated item we've ever sent, thanks to a project that got off the ground due to the work of Spanaway Lori, HannaUSA , and Oatka and 3/4th of which was funded by my optometrist.
2. There was the Personal Care items "Emergency" Airlift to Bagram air base in June and July. (mathluv, nina0113, Coop, JustAmy, airborne, iceskater, Tunehead54, jtill participated.)
3. The 4th of July Party Decorations and Snacks blowout for all our adopted units. (pictures at posts 357, 358, 368 of our 2005 thread)
4. Operation Popcorn in August and September for the Engineers at Baghdad (iceskater, mathluv, SENClander, Coop, Abigail Adams, Ros42, Ican'tbelieve it, jtill and ebay's mshoponline sent over 600 bags of microwave popcorn, while omegatoo's were lost in the shuffle of her evacuating New Orleans prior to the Katrina flooding)
5. The End of Summer Luau for psyops at Baghdad in September and October (MJY1288 mailed off the party things we bought at eBay and Amazon with contributions from fanfan, kattracks, jtill, Just mythoughts, Ros42, Pig Rigger, MJY1288 and Kitty Mittens. Pictures at post 809 of the 2005 thread)
6. Halloween candy and movies for the Troops (kattracks, SENClander, Ican'tbelieveit, Abigail Adams mailed boxes in addition to the ones I sent with donations)
7. The Amazing Christmas and New Years Deluge, when it rained packages at all our adopted bases, especially at Tal Afar.
Special mentions go to Teams captains: mathluv (Engineers Baghdad), Ros42 (psyops Baghdad), CAluvdubya (Tal Afar), Abigail Adams (Stryker at Mosul), VeniVidiVici (MI at Kirkuk), nina0113 (Bagram, Afghanistan). Fairy Godmother Dept. (kattracks), Christmas Trees and Christmas Cards R Us (daybreakcoming), Shipping Dept (MJY1288), DVD Recording Dept (MJY1288), Webhosting and Photoshopping Dept (New Perspective), Daddy Warbucks Dept (my optometrist).
Among the many care packages sent by our troop supporters are these projects.
Boxes of school supplies for Iraqi children were sent by mathluv, Ican'tbelieveit, and my mother to Operation Crayon in Kirkuk.
Some members (CAluvdubya, angelsonmyside, 4integrity, ebay's susiemck) helped fill requests for Western Movies from an MI unit at Kirkuk (now home, movies still there) and Clint Eastwood and Adam Sandler movies from Fox Battery at Kirkuk (now home, movies still there).
bjcintennesse made many dozens of cooling neck scarves and sent them to pysops and Engineers at Baghdad.
DAVEY CROCKETT mailed boxesful of car magazines to a couple units.
A copy of the hardback book about the first year of the Revolutionary War (1776 by David McCullough) was sent to most of our units by DrDeb, iceskater, SwatTeam, and Just a Cowgirl.
Ros42 and mscht adopted a unit at Camp Ramadi for Christmas. (picture at 1195 of the 2005 thread).
CheneyChick and daybreakcoming saw to it that some care packages went to a remnant of our troops still in Kosovo.
Daybreakcoming's sister helped the staffers of the Louisiana legislature send about 8 boxes with around 32 bags of Christmas candy to Tal Afar.
Our many generous donors of checks, cash, money orders, Paypal, shopping cards, phone cards, etc are listed in the Accounting posts in our 2005 thread which can be linked from the post below.
We were surprised and emotional when we received back from our adopted units some of the items pictured below, and a big thank you to jkphoto for taking the pictures and webhosting them.
Awesome work, as always! I know you put a lot of time, effort and love into this operation, but you, kat and others can feel great knowing what a difference you're making in the lives of those defending our freedom. God bless!
"...they brought smiles around the horn."
That totally makes my week, right there! Even just one smile on a soldier's face would make me feel all warm and fuzzy, but a bunch of smiles makes me feel ecstatic!
I'm so glad that our box made it there relatively on time for Valentine's, since we mailed it late.
Thank you so much for sharing the email, Patty, and for giving us all the opportunity to do a little something to show our soldiers that we love them! :-)
Ping, and welcome!
Thank you!
Here's our 2006 thread.
You can talk with me and TXsleuth here about care packages for the troups as much as you want.
See posts 31, 32, and 49 for information on packing and mailing care packages to the troops
Thanks for all of your help tonight!!
I have been iced in this weekend...but plan on shopping tomorrow...will get Crystal Lite...then will get with you for an address.
I just got home....I bought 35 boxes of the Crystal lite individual packets...there are 10 in each box.
I also bought 27 pkgs of snack size candy bars...8 to a package..
If you want to freepmail me some addresses where you think these items would be best to send to, I am ready.
Updates:
EMAIL from KOSOVO about Christmas and Valentines packages posted next.
Items that Abigail Adams sent at the last minute to Mosul for Valentines Day are posted at 126. They made it on time!
Abigail Adams has posted some info at 127 about Operation AC which is sending boots to soldiers.
Daybreakcoming posted at 116 a thank you she got from Tal Afar for books she sent for their new library.
Contents of a large box of clothing and shoes/socks for soldiers in Afghanistan to give to the poor is posted after the email from Kosovo. I was going to mail it Saturday, February 18, but the post office closed 2 hours early so they won't go out till Tuesday, tomorrow.
Anybody else who can send gently used clothing/shoes/sandals/socks to Afghanistan, or buy a few sale items for kids, please contact me for the APO to use for our Operation Spring Cleaning donations for the poor.
We still need volunteers to send care packages sent to Tall 'Afar. Most requested items from soldiers: small size American brand candy bars (chocolate can only be sent till the end of March), air freshener (don't pack in same box with candy), books, magazines.
PENPAL (single young woman) wanted for a single, 31 y/o chaplain in Afghanistan. If you have a daughter or friend who might be interested, let me know and I'll email you his picture.
Our contact at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan sent us a box of souvenir items. I'll be sending the blue burka to nina0113 for all her work as team captain for Bagram and she promises to post a picture of her wearing it.
We're still waiting for the APO from our new adopted unit that is settling in at a base near the Syrian border without any amenities. Txsleuth has already bought a bunch of little boxes of Crystal Lite drink flavor mix for them and waiting for APO to send them.
Hello and thank you for your wonderful box.
First of all I would like to thank you on behalf of the entire TPD. All 13 of us enjoyed the goodies that were sent. We received the Christmas box shortly before the first of the Year and the Valentines Box was received Saturday. All the stocking stuffer and Hearts added to the festivities and the parties we held.
Please do not fear-All the packages were sent early enough-mother nature caused a mountain to slide and block the main road. This blocked all traffic and deliveries for weeks and months. We expect the route to be opened by March 5-9th. Consequently mail service has been delayed and or rerouted and delayed.
Normally boxes take 10-14 days but now 14-28 day. Every single one of us appreciates the hard work and dedication you demonstrate by taking the time to add a bit of joy to our lives.
Thank you and God Bless
MAJOR ***
Mailing February 21, 2006, to Bagram for soldiers to give to the poor Afghanis,
1 large box, postage probably about $35, value $93.
2 pairs new childrens shoes (1 girl, 1 boy) size 8 (3-5 y/o)
14 pairs new childrens socks (6 girl, 8 boy) sized for 3-5 y/o)
6 soft animal toys (zebra hand puppet, 2 rhinoceros (1 gray, 1 brown in safari costume), 1 red horse with white polka dots, 2 white teddy bears).
1 pair adult female loafers (sage green)-worn once or twice
9 pair used but okay adult or older child socks (1 grey thick REI socks, 2 black, 2 denim blue, 1 calf length gray and green stripes, 1 small adult gray pantie hose/socks, 2 slipper socks-blue and tan)
4 mens used but never worn much acrylic pullover sweaters (1 brown turtleneck-XL, 1 brown crew neck-L, 1 wine V neck-L, 1 gray crew neck with blue geometric designs-M)
1 mens used but never worn much sweater vest crew neck with blue and wine deer and forest design-XL
1 womens never used sweatshirt lavender with Colorado hotel ad on front-S
1 womans crew neck acrylic pullover sweater, gray with geometric designs (designer label)-M (still in good shape)
2 womens 2 piece sweatsuits-1 pink, 1 blue (with attached sewing kits of same color thread, needle and safety pins to take in the pants waist because the elastic aged and is all stretched out, which is only sign of wear).
14 plastic shopping bags for filler
BUMP-marker to review later.
I lost my contacts over there (in a good way - they came home). What can I do for the merry band? :-)
Patty, I hope my computer and health problems are okay for now. I got about 180 candy canes on sale, and need to send them somewhere. Also, would be glad to send a care package or two.
I have a 44oz bag of Hershey's candy kisses I grabbed up the other day. Will send it with some more books to Tal Afar. Will let you know.
I will get in touch with you re gently used clothing, etc. for Afghanistan.
Thanks Patty.
OK - I just went through my girls' closets and most of what I found were size 8 - mainly long sleeve shirts, some pants, sweatshirts, couple sweaters, and only one real jacket. But a lot of stuff all in excellent condition. I would have more but we gathered up last fall and took jackets, etc. to Katrina victims. I will send you a count before I send them. And FReepmail me an address please. Oh and what about adult stuff?
You have FReepmail.
Adult stuff needed, too.
Anything a destitute person with no electricity or running water could use would be welcome.
Want to send something to Tal Afar or to a company of Stryker Brigade at the Syrian border?
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