USO Canteen FReeper Style....Monday Mail Call....May 13,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

Our troops need our support and encouragement. They are away from home, some for the first time, and usually lonely or discouraged. It is important for us to reach out and help them in the same way we would want someone to reach out to our loved ones if and when they are in the same position.

They answered their call and we are answering theirs offering them the USO Canteen FReeper Style each day and thanking them for serving.

This is IN Coming Mail from some of those serving now.

We at the USO Canteen FReeper Style, a running thread at Free Republic, are proud to support our Military. The mail comes in from contacting some of our Military Bases, Marine Corps Leagues , and friends and family of those serving now. Also from responses at the wonderful P.O.Box that 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub has made so easily available to each of us here at Free Republic.

They are writing to those that frequent the FReeper USO Canteen to thank you for your support.

I work with damage-control and small-boats on a guided missile destroyer,I just want to thank you at the Canteen for your support. Thank you for being there for all of us. Sometimes you feel like you are all alone out here, then I get online and get to read the Canteen.
My girl broke up with me right before I left. I guess that could be the story for a lot of us .
My mom is all I have back home and she can’t afford a computer . She writes to me when she can and it is good to hear from her.
A buddy back at the base told me about an email he got from a creature with a heart, named Snow Bunny. It had the web address for Free Republic and told how the founder had been a Navy man and how everyone respected him. That he was a heck of a guy and had this place at Free Republic called the Canteen.
One lonely day I checked it out and sat here with , darn it anyway, tears rolling down my face.
I never saw anything like it in my life. OH I have surfed the web in school before I enlisted, but this is a whole new ballgame. The Canteen is my home now away from home.
All of you make a difference and your support means more then you may know. One of the things that makes it more real to me then just a place on the web are several things I’d like to share with you.
You know you all can be serious and then on a dime laugh and have fun and I like that. I like the way the day gears down just like life at home does. When you have done your business in the day and sit around with friends in the evening and cut up.
None of us here could be intense all day and the way the Canteen moves into night is why it feels so much like home too.
Thanks for being there .

Mark A.

Command Master Chief , right before 9-11 my wife and I had just gotten settled in our new home. I have 3 kids and a beautiful wife. Then I was transferred to Norfolk and then shipped out.
I missed Christmas but I know being here has helped preserve our freedom for the future. Only have a minute this time to write Snow Bunny. I know that other stuff I asked you not to pass on helped me to be able to share when I needed it most.
This time I do want you to pass something on to someone.
Whoever has a fan here and please tell whoever that for me. I wasn’t sure if whoever was a man or woman at first, but then I watched the reactions and the tenderness and could tell. So thanks for what you bring in your basket when you visit the Canteen.
I read every thread all the way through and it is powerful stuff. Thanks Snow Bunny for caring so much about us and making a place I can see others that care too.

Stephen A.

Air Force Sgt

Hey Snow Bunny, I am Charlie, just Charlie OK !!!!
Thanks for the Canteen from my heart .
I guess you can call me a lurker but that sure sounds weird. I can’t enter in but I can tell you I have read every day of the Canteen since March.I can’t get to it every day, so I go back and see what I missed when I do have the time.
Some of the ones I like are the one you call HiJinx, 4TheFlag,and you call this one Tonkin. Tell that Tonkin guy the Air Force knows how to spell. LOL , Victoria Delsoul and a mystomachisturning. You have to change that name beautiful girl, with your bubbly personality , AFVetGal one of our own, and this one gets me every time, Deadhead. That one reminds me of a rock group, but I have a crush on Deadhead and SassyMom.
Snow Bunny thanks for making it so I could write to you. Someday maybe I can tell you more about me. But you have been supper about it with a friend of mine and he said Bunny is AOK.

Hang in there and we will too.
Our friend,
Charlie

Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class

It is because of you all and your support and caring about us, that I am strengthened and makes me proud to serve our country. Please tell SAMWolf , my brother could use his talents. I saw where he was the head scrounger at the Canteen. I think my kid brother is headed in that direction when he gets in the Army. Bad boy turned “Bad Boy” in many ways and a heart as big as a ship.
Whoever whoever is, could you tell this whoever being that I have saved and sent a lot of things from whoever to my nephew and his wife. They have the time to pass it on to the rest of the family. Tell whoever thanks for the fun stories and jokes.
Snow Bunny, thanks for doing this for me. I never met anyone like you, not sure how I could thank you enough and Billie. So please know that you are making a difference out here and if your ears are burning it is because we are talking about you in awesome ways. God just gave some people bigger hearts and you Snow Bunny and Billie are two girls that got them.
God bless you all at the Canteen and thank you Free Republic for being all to so many of us.
James K.L.

Air Force 1st Lt

Mr. Jim Robinson and ladies and gentlemen of the Canteen. Thank you for your magnificent support and dedication, day in day out for all of us. You make a difference in my life. I printed out a copy of the logo for Free Republic with the Eagle and all and have it inside on my plane. Just so you know it is right next to a very sexy blonde. I didn’t think you would mind. Apple pie and moms and sexy blondes are all American.
I just wanted you to know your efforts are noticed and not just by me.
Your support means we have Americans that care about us and that goes a long way believe me.

Tim B.

[JohnHuang2]

Good to hear, amigo.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', FRiend!

[Pippin]

GOOD MORNING! Snow, The coffee and muffins whent down real good after that t-storm last night. it's going to be hot,humid in the 80's in Baltimore today. TYPICAL!

I read Tonkin's comments and have to agree with them. Let us please remember who this thread is for and about and keep the discuraging remarks and politics out of it.

Love and peace to you all and may God bless you in this wonderful day! CS

[Pippin]

Good Morning,Tonkin! That was agood post and needed to be said. Thanks for the reminder. God Bless! CS

[MistyCA]

Good Morning Meek! I fell asleep early tonight and then woke up and decided to have some tea and read the thread. These letters from the servicemen are so wonderful! Gee! My name change even got a vote!!! :) It is so good to hear that Bunny's vision has brought something special to the guys who are away from home protecting our freedom!

Ha! You see that, Tonk? They can spell!!! LOL! Of course, I personally prefer "YaTch"!

John, thanks for all you do as the King of Ping!

Snow Bunny, the new format is wonderful. It is colorful, welcoming, easy to load and so fun to anticipate. Your heart must swell with pride to know that you have touched so many hearts and made such a difference! May be Canteen always be peaceful and free so that we can give the guys away from home a special place to come to relax, unwind and enjoy themselves! :)

[Pippin]

Good Morning and Good Night! May God bless you this day! SEEYA tonight, COWBOY!!! love CS

[Pippin]

Good Morning, Misty!!

[MistyCA]

Hi! Do you want some more clothes? I been cleaning my closet!!! LOL. Just kidding. I have many more things for you though! :)

[larryjohnson]

AFVetGal one of ours.This Slightly Older AF Vet Guy agrees with that. Can our lurking servicemen get to our home pages here on FR?

[MistyCA]

Thank you, Tonk!

[Pippin]

That would be nice. Just got finished reading the rest of last night's posts. I had to leave early because of thunderstorms that were hitting our area hard.

read about the hummingbirds. ADORABLE! We do have them in MD. but not so much. But your posts reminded me of whenever I would visit relatives in Saskatchewan, Canada. Everyone had a humming bird feeder in their gardens and yards. I used to love sitting in the kitchen that had a feeder in the window and see the little "hummers" zitting by and hovering at the feeder. Thanks for the memories as Bob Hope used to say!

[piasa]

I'm ashamed to admit how long it took me to notice that yatch of yours... no wonder it's so hard to flag you on a thread and not get a message of 'no freeper by that name.'

I reckon some folks can spell, while others can land on an absurdly small floating runway at night... but you can't do both. (Or as they used to say in the Ozarks, "Some can spell, others can aim.") hee hee

; D

Just kidding, of course...I guess this morning it's my turn to fix pancakes from scratch, assuming someone left some buttermilk in the icebox. If not, then it's beignets for everyone!

Greetings from Florida to the gator fleet and to the extraordinary gentlemen cruisin' in Mark-Vs, wherever you are, in port or out.

[Pippin]

Saw your post to tonkin. love the 9/11 candle. I hope you don't mind that I copyed it to my favorites. I'l never forget!

[Jen]

Good morning Larry! Yes they can get to your homepage if you provide a link. If you are talking about your FR Profile, they just click on your screenname in your post. You can put your web site address on your profile page if you want to. If you have questions about how to edit your profile or add stuff on it, just ask. Jen

[Jen]

I don't think Misty will mind about the candle - it's just you taking her clothes that gets her in a tizzy... ;-)

Good morning! I used to hate Mondays, but now I LOVE Monday because it's Mail Call from the troops.

[MistyCA]

That's right! I had almost forgotten about the thunderstorms! I also have relatives in Saskatchawan but I have never been there. We are going to try to get up there later this year. There and Alberta. They also have a house on Vancouver Island that I would love to visit sometime. :)

I think the last doll I sent was clara20. Here are some more

That's all of them :) Enjoy!!!

[Pippin]

Good Morning! I don't usually raid closets but Misty has some cool outfits! I just can't help myself! LOL. But I promise I'll behave, TE HE!

[MistyCA]

Of course I don't mind! :)

[Pippin]

Neat! Now I won't be raiding your closet! LOL Thanks!

[MistyCA]

Morning Jen! I just posted her a note that I didn't mind, but kicked myself for not adding, "Just stay OUT of my closet!!" LOL.