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.

[Billie]

I just wanted to say hi to you, because I keep missing you on the threads - you're here, I'm not, I'm here, you're not. I think it's cute that you have the Christmas pet picture framed. :)

[deadhead]

Hi Billie, it's so nice to see you :-) Catching up on all the news on Free Republic, my number one source. And as always stopping into my favorite place, the Canteen. Yes, I love that picture, was wondering...would I be able to use it as a Christmas card next year?

[cmsgop]

LOL!!!!

Now that I have a Cable Modem I can visit more often.

[HighWheeler]

Looks like it must have been two different fathers...

[Billie]

I wish I'd known this a few weeks ago. :)

[SpookBrat]

Hey Sassy...are you like totally missing me or what? I've been thinking about you, but I have absolutely refused to get on the computer. I had a bad computer addiction habit to break. I had to go to rehab and everything. I've been so afraid to take a "hit" and let myself sign in. What if I fall off the wagon. I've even been doing a 12 step progam called "Freepers Anonymous"

I love Florida. When ya coming to see me? Give Kneezles and Sassy a kiss from me. Hooches and smugs.

[Billie]

I don't know why not - how good is your printer? Or maybe you could put it on a floppy, take the floppy to Kinko's or somewhere like that, and have them make the copies for you? (I can't remember - did I put a date on the pictures?) If I did, and you'd like it removed, let me know, and I'll go back to my editing program and remove the date and shoot a copy back to you via email.

[SassyMom]

Hey Billie! How ya doin?????

[Billie]

Aha! You were "one of those" - I still am, and we still have many others using a tin can and string. :) I can open the threads ok - sometimes they're pretty slow, but have had my preferences set at 20 for the longest time, and that helps a lot. :)

[Snow Bunny]

Your right we both are romantics. And we both love chocolate.heh heh

[Snow Bunny]

It is so good to see you again HW. Thanks for the joke of the day my friend.

[deadhead]

Thanks Billie :-) I have a good printer. The date is on it, but it will be hidden when I insert the pictures in the cards. I thought it would be cute for the animal lovers in my life.

[Pippin]

Hi,COWBOY! I was going to go conservative but it was too hot and humid in Baltimore! so I guess I'll have to dress down, Sigh! How are you doing?

[SassyMom]

Oh SpookBrat..... I'm sooooo glad to see you! I have missed you soooooo much. In fact, I was gonna try to find your new phone number and call you! I'm glad you like Florida. Are you close to the ocean? How are your kids?? Do they like it there? How is DH is he doing ok? Oh my gosh, I have missed you! ((((((HUGS))))))

Would you like to go for a ride in my new car? The only thing is that we have to watch out for Tonkin, he gave me a warning about driving too fast. *giggle*

[Snow Bunny]

HI Clara, hope your thunder storms are all over with.

[SpookBrat]

Wow! I was MIA for 10 days? You mean I actually made it without the computer for 10 days???? I'm so excited. I think I haven't gone without the computer for more than 2 hours in about 3 years. I'm CURED! I'm HEALED! Woohoo! Praise the Lord!

Hey girl...thanks for missing me. Honestly, I've been busy loving on my babies and my honey. I'm just about done unpacking. We are homeschooling and I'm busy, busy, busy with that...but I'm NOT complaining. We are having a riot of a good time together. Then we are spending a lot of time at the beach. We saw Dolphins last week and one whale. We think we saw sharks, but I don't want to think about it.

Please come see me. You are MORE than invited. You can just move in with us if you want. How is your man child? xoxoxo to you!!!

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Jen, thank you so much for this on Andrews AFB.

Thanks for being the Canteen PAO, this is so fantastic.

[whoever]

..Please remember that "the eyes of the world are upon us" and you never know who may be reading your post. ..

What a wonderful post, my dear Mr. Tonk. You are so right on with these comments. I am grateful that you posted them with all the love and devotion you have for The Canteen and for our precious military.