CARE PACKAGES for our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2006

patriciaruth ^ | 1-21-06 | patriciaruth

[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.

[daybreakcoming]

Believe it or not, I have dvd Lawrence of Arabia. Will send it wherever.

And what are we doing about Christmas trees this year?

[patriciaruth]

I'll FReepmail you the APO where to send Lawrence of Arabia.

Yaelle just offered his 24, Season 4.

As for Christmas trees, they probably could use one at our new unit in Baghdad and one at Ramadi. Maybe Fallujah if I can get this Marine's Mom to entrust me with his address.

I was waiting to hear from our gang about who wanted to help out before I started beating the bushes for donors.

We have already sent Christmas trees to Mosul and Bagram. We'll just hope they can find them.

Did you get my FReepmail on sales they were having on prelit Christmas trees in September?

I'll be in touch.
Cheers! And thank you for Lawrence of Arabia!

[patriciaruth]

I believe my husband and I watched a rented Serenity this summer, and just aren't in to that kind of violence.

All I remember is that it wasn't Serene. But if you want to send it, be my guest...

;-)

[daybreakcoming]

Hi - No, I didn't get the FReepmail you are referring to or maybe I should say I missed it - will go back and look. My Mom passed away last month and my brain has been "detached".

Let me know about who needs trees the most - I can spring for two.

Are you talking about the trees we sent last year? (Mosul and Bagram) I always wonder where they end up. :o)

[nina0113]

I got 5 boxes off Saturday to Bagram but it's taken me till now to type up the inventory. Here it is:

Box 1 - 11 lbs 8.4 oz
Spiderweb plastic tablecloth
Halloween "crime scene" tape
6 rolls orange and black crepe streamers
30-pack Glow-In-The-Dark plastic bats
Purple stretch GOTD spiderweb
Green stretch GOTD spiderweb
White stretch spiderweb
15-pack black balloons
15-pack orange balloons
balloon pump
Halloween door panel
7 qt orange candy bowl
7 qt black candy bowl
horror sounds CD
plastic crown
brown beard & mustache
Halloween cardboard decorations
rainbow clown wig
2 purple foil bat garlands
2 orange foil pumpkn garlands
12 sets vampire teeth
4 sets bloodshot eyeballs glasses
2 blacklight bulbs
1 pack window clings\100 purple mini lights
100 orange mini lights
1 candy slime nose
1 red feather hat
12-pack orange & green clackers
12-pack orange & black clackers
4 fall leaf garlands
3 bunches fall flowers

Box 2 - 27 lb. 12.6 oz
1 36-pack Act II butterlovers popcorn
8 10-packs spiced cider
top hat
blue metallic fedora hat\
green leopard fedora hat
alien costume with robe & mask
1 105-pc MaryJanes
2 90-pc pixie sticks
115-piece Hersheys/KitKat/Almond Joy/Reeses/Take 5 candy bars
75-pack candy corn
Pirate hat
Witch hat with piderweb
echo mike

Box 3 - 26 lb. 9.8 oz
Fiberoptic Jackolantern
12 10-packs spiced cider
205-piece Wonka mix-up (SweetTarts, Runts, Nerds, Laffy Taffy, Bottlecaps, Gumballs)
105-pc MaryJanes
2 90-pc pixie sticks
120 pc Snickers/M&Ms/Twix/MilkyWay/3Musketeers candy bars
witch mask
pretty girl mask
nightclub guy mask
GOTD goalie mask
Jackolantern mask
ghost face mask
cat face mask
clown nose
pirate earring/eyepatch
old woman mask
frankenstein mask
invisible mask
blacklight zombie mask
plastic sunglasses
120-pc Butterfinger/NestleCrunch/BabyRuth/100Grand candy bars
fireman helmet
motorcycle police helmet

Box 4 - 31 lb. 13.4 oz.
120-pc M&M assortment
215-pack starburst/skittles
300-pack smarties rolls
neon striped hat, bowtie, cuffs
3 striped felt hats
frankenstein mask
bunny ears & collar
striped clown pants
2 105-pcs Mary Janes
2 voice disguisers with batteries
indian feather headdress
black hat with skeletons and hair

Box 5 - 20 lb. 1.4 oz.
115-pc Reeses mix
120-pc Nestles mix
505-pc tootsie roll midgees
105-pc Mary Janes
75-pack candy corn
Rastaman wig
Bleach Blond Rockstar wig
Uncle Sam foam hat
nun costume


I put some candy & decorations in each box so that I could just put "candy and decorations" in the description box on the customs forms - much simpler than trying to fit THIS list in that tiny space.

[patriciaruth]

GOOD NIGHT!!!

They had better send you pictures or they are ungrateful wretches. What a lot of work (and expense) you have gone to here.

God bless you, Nina!

[patriciaruth]

Oh, hon, I am so sorry to hear about your mother passing.

How're your sister and you doing?

[Twinkie]

It is ghost fecal material. It is white, small, looks like bits of styrofoam and comes packed in most boxes you receive. It is full of static and sticks to everything; goes all over the floor. Look under just about any bed in your house where you've unpacked any kind of order and you'll probably find a few "stools" of it.

[daybreakcoming]

Thank you Patty. Mom fought the cancer, chemo, and surgeries like a champ for four years. And one of the kindest - always thinking of others - the whole time.

Sis and I are doing sort of ok - it's tough but knowing she has been made whole again gives comfort.

[patriciaruth]

LOL!

[patriciaruth]

Hugs for you and your sister. Most people feel a little lost and lonely. A mother's passing can leave a big hole.

I don't know how I'm going to bear it. Right now I'm working hard to extend Mom's expected lifespan by a couple years. I hate letting go of people I love.

[daybreakcoming]

Oh my dear Patty - now it's my turn to not know about your mother.

Please see your FReep mail. Big hugs to you.

[nina0113]

Daybreak, I'm very sorry to hear about your mother - I still have both my parents, but that day always comes and always too soon.

Patty, I hope you're successful in staving it off as long as possible.

I checked through the emails from the Bagram contact and they still have both trees and a box of decorations.

[daybreakcoming]

Thank you Nina. I thought I was prepared but no. I can't tell you how many times a day that I want to tell or ask her about something. I didn't want her to suffer any more but Lord how I miss her. One thing your parents hold is your history, your family's history. So listen to them and hold the words in your memory. You'll be so glad you did.

Glad to hear the Bagram group still have the trees. In the uncertain environment there - I could see them getting stowed away and new groups not realizing they are there.

[patriciaruth]

Oh, thank you for checking on the Christmas decorations at Bagram.

I'll concentrate on checking the status at Mosul now.

[patriciaruth]

Christmas update:

daybreakcoming has ordered 2 prelit 7 foot Christmas trees (one each for our adopted unit at Ramadi and the new adopted unit at Baghdad) and will send the new unit at Baghdad her Lawrence of Arabia DVD.

Our contact at Bagram reports they have found the tree we sent last year, and our contact at Mosul says they'll start looking around for the one we sent to the previous Stryker unit, but it may have already been claimed by another Stryker company there.

TV series for new unit at Baghdad:
Our contact at Ramadi is sending them the first 3 seasons of Stargate SG-1, and I have Seasons 4 and 5 which I'll send next week.
Yaelle will be sending 24 (with Keifer Sutherland), Season 3 now and Season 5 later.
Anyone who wants to get 24, Seasons 1, 2, or 4, please let me know.
I ordered (with contribution from jtill) CSI NY Season 1 and CSI Miami, Seasons 1 and 2. Anyone who wants to get other seasons of any CSI, please let me know.

DVD movies requested: We've got 9 of them (a couple with Paypal contribution by Pig Rigger.) These are the requests we are still hoping to fill by Christmas for the new unit at Baghdad that is training Iraqi soldiers. Anyone who has or can buy and send, please let me know.

Lethal Weapon (Mel Gibson, Danny Glover)
True Lies (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis)
Untouchables (Sean Connery, Kevin Costner)
Walk the Line (Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon)
We Were Soldiers (Mel Gibson)

Indiana Jones Trilogy:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (Harrison Ford)
Temple of Doom (Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw)
The Last Crusade (Harrison Ford, Sean Connery)

Star Wars Epic:
I The Phantom Menace
II Attack of the Clones
III Revenge of the Sith
IV A New Hope
V The Empire Strikes Back
VI Return of the Jedi

Mailed October 20, 2006, to training unit Baghdad
1 box, insured $69.67, postage $10.40
3 RCA Surge protectors
Book: 1776 by David McCullough
DVD movies:
Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day-Lewis, Russell Means)
Dumb and Dumber (Jim Carey)
Galaxy Quest (Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub)
2 bags Hershey’s almond kisses
6 DVD recordings by MJY1288:
Rush Limbaugh MP3, Jan 06 and Dec 05
President Bush Speeches: Address to Nation 12-18-05, War on Terror 12-14-05, SOTU 2006, Kansas St. U 1-23-06,

Ordered October 19, 2006, from Petzl America, shipped out today directly to training unit at Baghdad:
11 headlamps, Takkita Plus (L.E.D. 4, flip up red lens, push button, lithium batteries)

[AnnaZ]

God bless you!

[SENClander]

Patty, I have "We Were Soldiers" that I can send. Is this for Christmas? I'm starting to collect things for Christmas -- just tell me where they're needed most.

[JockoManning]

Every Soldier's Battle Rolls On
by Stephen Arterburn
http://www.newlife.com/

On Wednesday, October 25, I will co-host a special program to further New Life’s Every Soldier’s Battle campaign with KKLA’s afternoon talk-show host, Frank Pastore, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). If you live in the Los Angeles area, KKLA is found at 99.5 FM. If you live elsewhere, you can tune in to this program by going to www.kkla.com and clicking, "Listen OnLine" on their home page, and listen live.

Listen and get an update on this special program to our troops. We’ve sent 20,000 kits out thus far, and have been funds to cover the cost of the original kits that were sent to the troops. We’re now at the point that although we’re not completely caught up, we’re willing to take that next step of faith and start sending kits out again. We’ll be interviewing chaplains and soldiers and talking about what New Life is doing to help our military personnel maintain integrity.

We won’t be talking about the politics of the war. We’ll be talking about the spiritual and emotional battles of the men and women who are willing to lay their lives on the line, and how we can help them in those battles. And we’ll be encouraging your support of the troops through Every Soldier’s Battle.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

If you can’t listen on Wednesday, go to www.everysoldiersbattle.com to learn more and to make a gift in support of our troops, both home and abroad.

See you on the radio,





Stephen Arterburn

P.S. If you or someone you know received one of these kits and would like to share with us with a live or recorded call on Wednesday, please call Kim at (949) 494-8383, ext. 766, to schedule that call

[daybreakcoming]

Patty, I ordered
The Untouchables
Walk The Line
from Amazon today.

Also have some more I need to go through.

2nd "also" picked up packaged tuna, salmon, and chicken.

Also #3 have tootsie roll pops and bubble gum.

Will let you know when/what/where I am sending.