The Care Package Project -- an Update

[Venus193]

Here's something else:  In reference to the post about "what else" spreads among military personnel, I started wondering whether sending c0ndoms is a good idea.

Don't bother searching through Anysoldier; I just tried it for the second time and I suspect it's not allowed to ask for them.  I hope someone with more experience about this has an answer.

[DottyG]

Here's something else:  In reference to the post about "what else" spreads among military personnel, I started wondering whether sending c0ndoms is a good idea.

Don't bother searching through Anysoldier; I just tried it for the second time and I suspect it's not allowed to ask for them.  I hope someone with more experience about this has an answer.

When I was sending stuff to soldiers several years ago, they were asking for them.  It's the easiest way to keep sand and dirt out of the guns.  It's a weird use for them, but, apparently, it works.  I don't know if you could send them without its looking strange, but maybe if you put an explanation on the box?  (Not that they can't use them for the intended purpose, but they're supposed to be good for the guns as well.)

[Venus193]

Dotty, that would certainly explain why the military issues them (which I found out from the NC friend whose son-in-law has been deployed).

I did once read that they were issued previously for their primary purpose.  Although no information was available as to in what quantity.   

[FlyAKite]

I have been sending packages to service members since an article that I read last July 4th on the MSNBC.com website.  I have sent mostly snack items and there are a few that they really seem to love : Hot Cheetos, Trail Mix, Wholesome snacks like granola bars and small packaged sweets like a big bag of tootie pops on a stick or licorice.

I have also subscribed to several magazines, like Oprah, which when you sign up on-line it only cost $1 per issue.  I go to a .99 card shop and they have packaged Birthday and blank cards which are 10 for .99 

When I first started sending packages I really went crazy and my bank account went a little low.  It was so hard to not send packages to even more people because once you start reading the postings on anysoldier.com you just want to help every one of them.  I now only send packages to 2 or 3 people and that way I am able to show my support every month and make more of an impact.  I have been helping one Major because he has a reading program called "RTYK". It stands for Read To Your Kids.   You just know how the military love to abbreviate everything !  It's a program where you send children books from toddler to about age 12.  The soldier reads the book while it is being videotaped and then the book and the video is sent to the soldier's child, nephew or sibling.  I love reading and we have a great Goodwill store that sells the children books for .59  I pick out Holiday books about 3 months before the Holiday and that way the books can get overseas and then come back to a child with their loved one reading it.

Like I said I only support a few people directly because it was taking over my dining room and I wanted to eat in there again.  By helping the military personnel it has really helped me too because you draw attention when you are purchasing 20 or 30 of something.  I have been able to thank military wives as well as veterans in person and that has made my heart feel very full.

For those that are just starting to send items I will let you know that I have found the flat rate boxes to be the most economic.  When you are mailing magazines and canned food items the weight can add up but there is no weight limit on the flat rates boxes.

The female military members love the Bath and Body products.  I buy the hand sanitizer in the Warm Vanilla scent because I thought that was the mildest scent.  The hand sanitizer comes in small bottles that have a flip top so they can keep the bottle  in their pocket.  I try not to send anything that is heavily scented because the ladies said that the scent will attract all kinds of bugs when they are outside. 

The soldiers also love to receive unscented baby wipes because many times they are not able to take a shower so they use these to feel refreshed until they can shower.

[Venus193]

I have just hit the point where I am picking out 4 or 5 names for regular packages.  My discovery of that site coincided with the Bath and Body Works sale, so you can imagine how many trips I made and how much I spent.  I've probably spent almost $1K by now, about 40% of it on DVDs.  That part is slowing down.

I will keep the bugs in mind next time I buy anything scented.

I discovered that the microwavable Progresso soups don't fit in the flat-rate boxes.  However, my dollar stores have packages of 100 baby wipes for $1.

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

I am going to be prepping and sending my next batch of boxes this week.  I have decided to send to the same address as of now because I could not fit everything into the first round of boxes, but I will expand more later.

Question for Venus..How do you search for pwople who have requested items, I cannot find that search function and I spent most of the evening on the site.

[Venus193]

Search feature:

Click on the magnifying glass below the warning banner where it says:

Click HERE to Search AnySoldier.com Contacts

Type the item you have or can buy into the yellow box below the drop-down menu for selecting the service branch (which, of course, you don't have to do).

Keep in mind that some people will describe things differently, so you might want to look under multiple terms such as "shower shoes" and "flip flops".

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

THANKS VENUS, YOU ROCK!

[Venus193]

I try!

Got some postcards from the Navy Medevac fliers in Kuwait who loved the Lipton to Go sticks.  Now is the time to begin looking for sales in drink powders.

I'm putting together a coffee and snack box for that group and the one in Iraq.  Last chance for chocolate, ladies; pretty soon it will be too warm to send it.

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

I try!

Got some postcards from the Navy Medevac fliers in Kuwait who loved the Lipton to Go sticks.  Now is the time to begin looking for sales in drink powders.

I'm putting together a coffee and snack box for that group and the one in Iraq.  Last chance for chocolate, ladies; pretty soon it will be too warm to send it.

I have not sent any chocolate because I was afrais it would melt, but did send some tootsie rolls.  They have things like Jr. Mints and some other chocolate candies that I think will travel well at the dollar tree (in the Movie Theatre style boxes) So I will pull some of those for this shipment.

There was also a sale on the Kool-Aid single powdered drink and the Hamburger Helper Microwavable singles, so I picked up several boxes of each to ship.

EDITED TO ASK!!!!!

Coffee, should I send instant, the bags of grounds or the single serving ones that come like tea bags?  My grocery store sells the small one pot flavored ones often for a really good price!

[aline]

I got a letter today from the first troop I sent to!!  It was a lovely note signed by three of the guys in the troop. They were incredibly appreciative of my little box and said how nice it was to have folks back home supporting them. Made me happy and sad all at the same time.

Definitely puts things in perspective. I have only sent out a few so far, but I love putting these boxes together.
 

[DottyG]

I haven't gotten a note or email from mine, yet.

I know that I'm not doing it for a response.  And, I know that they have MANY more important things to do than write to me (like staying ALIVE).  But, secretly in my heart, I want a letter, too.

[Venus193]

One of the first people I sent a package to hasn't posted to AnySoldier in over 50 days.  They dropped her name yesterday.  I hope she is alright.

I think that probably more of them write than don't. 

Coffee, should I send instant, the bags of grounds or the single serving ones that come like tea bags?  My grocery store sells the small one pot flavored ones often for a really good price!

All forms of coffee are welcome.  I think it's safe to make the assumption that large groups have the ability to brew pots of coffee, especially if someone asks for filters.  I checked the price of the teabag-style ones and the premium was enough to deter me from buying those.

Instant is a good idea, especially instant espresso and the more unusual flavors like hazelnut.  That is a particularly nice thing to send if there are females in the group.  Also flavored powdered creamer.

I can get Italian-branded half pound espresso bricks for a dollar.  Those are going to my Medevac fliers.  I've sent some Goya espresso to a Hispanic marine who turned out to be from the Bronx!

There is a Greek Nescafe instant iced coffee product available in my neighborhood that I might think about sending when the weather gets hotter.  That store used to have small, battery-operated mixers that you would fill with ice, water, milk, sweetener, and the powdered coffee for a frappuccino at a fraction of the price.  If they have those I might get some.

[aline]

I haven't gotten a note or email from mine, yet.

I know that I'm not doing it for a response.  And, I know that they have MANY more important things to do than write to me (like staying ALIVE).  But, secretly in my heart, I want a letter, too.

Dotty, I know you weren't trying to say this, but I want to clarify that I'm not doing this for the response either (because I didn't say that in my original post and should have) - it was just a nice surprise. 

Honestly I was really surprised to get a reply so quickly. I know from sending care packages to my ex that the time it takes the boxes to arrive is variable. He was deployed to Okinawa, and at first, he was getting them within a week. I took that to be the norm (not knowing any better at the time), and sent him a bunch of homemade cookies. That box took 3 months to arrive, by which point they were a pile of flavorful crumbs. He still ate them, which shows you how much even non-wartime military miss home.

And Venus, I hope your (missing from the website) soldier is okay too.

[Venus193]

I hope so, too.  She might be in a very remote area of Afghanistan.