Holiday FReepmail Messages for our Troops Needed!

self ^ | 11-25-01 | patriciaruth

[patriciaruth]

FReepers! I need emails to send to our troops with the Christmas presents that are being mailed out this week to the 101st AIRBORNE. We have 200 plus presents, but only about a third of them so far have a personal message to go with them to show the troops that we care about them and are grateful for their sacrifices for our country and for putting their lives on the line for our freedom.

PLEASE FReepMail me or send an email to my personal email (below) a Dear Soldier note for the Holidays! Do it today, so I can print them out and put them in the box tomorrow.

AND if anyone could also contribute toward purchasing one or more scarves, or contribute toward the postage, just FReepmail me for my snail mail address or use www.paypal.com and pay by credit card using my personal email address (below).

So far, ABOUT 1/3 of the 200 scarves are bought or pledged, and I would like to put someone else's name, not mine on at least some of the 130 scarves yet to be adopted and given to a serviceman pulling duty on Christmas at an observation post or wherever they may be now that the 101st Airborne has been moved. Guess where? In fact, the news is reporting our troops are landing near Kandahar now.

Contributors so far are:

Audrey --7
Kathy -13
Shirley --8
Deanne --7
Lorraine --2
Lida --2
Kay--9
Sheila --2
Lynette--8
Jacqueline--2
Isabelle--5
Kim--1
Mike--unknown coming
*******
Email messages sent so far for the troops:
Carrie; Margaret; family in High Ridge, MO; Ruth in Visalia, CA; Laura
Cards coming: Gretchen; "Cool Guy" Christmas scarves URL http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/571233/posts Kosovo Care Package URL http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bd55aeb7d48.htm

[patriciaruth]

Yes, that is it exactly, that when they open it they get the overwhelming feeling that a lot of people care about them, and it helps bouy them up while they are cut off from their families during the holidays.

I need someone to ping some Service people. With email and phones restricted for security reason, what would a service member want that we could send besides cards and letters?
A Christmas-y smelling wreath?
I already sent a Britany Spears fan magazine with lots of pictures (my husband's suggestion), but the Chaplain never mentioned it. LOL!!
Candy canes? It's got to be something quick that can be picked up locally or by someone who has been entrusted with the APO address.
Decorations?

I'm brainstorming for ideas here. Help!

[patriciaruth]

$1250 in pledges yet outstanding.

$1526.03 in funds actually in hand.

Total $2776.03 hopefully will be coming in. I'll try to get the actual expenses accounting done by Sunday night.

Hold your breath! LOL!!

[patriciaruth]

Your snail mail and contents arrived yesterday and today. THANK YOU. On behalf of "our guys", thank you so much!

John, you must do something about the hamster that is nibbling on your cash.

[patriciaruth]

Did you gals send me an email message for a soldier under your real names so I didn't know you had done so? If not yet done so, could you send me one by Sunday night so they can go out in a special mailing Monday of Holiday messages for the troops overseas?

You are probably also doing this on the other threads available, but I know the 101st Airborne would love to hear from you, too.

"I have 2 words for you....AIR ASSAULT!!"

[Bigg Red]

Thank you for your report and for all of your hard work in this. God bless you and keep you.

[patriciaruth]

*One time ping. List will be destroyed after this use.*

If anyone hasn't already sent a holiday message to a soldier overseas, please send an email to me with a message for a member of the 101st Airborne stationed overseas.

They are currently on alert and can't use email or phones so they don't inadvertently spill vital information. The emails you send to me will be priority mailed to them on Monday to an APO I have.

Please either FReepmail me with private reply, or email me at my personal email:

arthingvold@oscnet.net

I hope many of you can see your way to putting your hometown and state as our service members really identify with that. And also include, if you can, an email or snail mail address for the soldiers to answer if they choose. However, I'll be happy to just print whatever you send with your FReepname at FreeRepublic.com or even anonymous.

THANKS! For the Troops!

Patty

[Alamo-Girl]

Will do! and buuuump!

[lonevoice]

Patriciaruth
Mountaingirl
Jwalsh
Torie

May you be richly blessed this holiday season. Thank you.

[patriciaruth]

Check posts 292 and 308. And *whew* I did have you on my ping list, under those who had pledged.

[jwalsh07]

Holding! LOL

The more you get the more the Marines get for Toys for Tots here in Ct.

[patriciaruth]

So far out of pocket expenses added up are a bit under 3200, and contributions and pledges (I found another one I counted twice because of screen name and real name not being coordiated) adding so far to 2759, leaving about 431 for you guys to split IF we get all the pledges in and we can't encourage any more contributions.

As there are still a couple major pledges out. I may be splitting the shortfall three ways with you two generous FReepers if we have a major default in the pledges.

BUT I just remembered. The saleslady who sold me the silk said she was going to try to get me a bit more off and send a credit into the CC company (a patriotric lady), so it won't be much, but maybe another 50, let me check that out, as I haven't gotten the CC bill yet.

[Torie]

Thanks for the update. Let me know when it is ante up time, and how to do it. The 3 way thing won't cut it though. It is a 2 way thing, and you ain't one of the two. At least that is my intention. You have already swamped whatever modest contribution we will make.

[patriciaruth]

Any of you wonderful people who wrote those great letters for the soldiers to go with the scarves that went to our soldiers pulling duty on Christmas,
and any of you wonderful people who sent in letters after Tuesday which are going to the 101st Airborne....

Can any of you put a few buck or a fiver in an envelop and mail it to me to help take the sting out the promises Jwalsh07 and Torie made to split the difference on unpledged expenses?

Just FReepmail me, and I'll send you my address, and you can do it anonymously or you can get credit, whichever you want.

The next time I ping for letters, it will be for mail to go to troops based in Tajikistan.:-)

[jwalsh07]

Dr Ruth,

Torie has spoken and when Tories speaks...

.

.

.

.

I listen!

You've done plenty.

[jwalsh07]

This is a good organization that we donate to and with all these jarheads running around FreeRepublic maybe we can drum up some business. :-}

Toys For Tots Run By the US Marine Corps

[patriciaruth]

Just what I already know ...new, unwrapped.

But I got an address in a town not too far from here, and can go there this week and drop some toys off (they will mostly be duplicate Star Wars action figures from my collection) which is eating up way too much space in my house. I'll let you know what I do, so you can be less guilty about shunting your money to this scarves for the troops project.
:-)

[jwalsh07]

Negative, negative. It is actually selfish on my part. I think I get more pleasure out of it than the troops and the tots.:_}

[patriciaruth]

You have a crooked grin and a broken nose?

[patriciaruth]

Hey, you two lucky guys, Kathy in Alaska's parents are lurkers and they just sent some money by paypal to help with the postage. How about that?

[jwalsh07]

LOL, amongst other undistinguishing figures.