Military Care Packages: Part II

[Venus193]

With all the news stories about more troops being sent over, the need will be escalating.  It blows my mind.

Supporters:  How is it going?

My big update:  Two of my groups have been sent home.  The Medevac fliers went home last week and another small group stationed in Afghanistan went home a little before that.  The female Marine from New Jersey hasn't posted back to the site and I didn't get another letter from her.  I know they're not required to write back but since most of them do I am concerned.

Remember the Betty Crocker microwaveable brownies mentioned in the old thread?  I found them in a dollar store in my neighborhood this afternoon and bought 10 of them for the group in Baghdad I send stuff to every other week.

My new office neighborhood had a fabulous dollar store and a Cosmetic Market store with amazing discounts on things like sunblock.  I also just ordered 25 bottles of mint shower gel from Yves Rocher.

[Lisbeth]

If I'm free this weekend, I'll finally have a chance to participate.  (I got called to report for jury duty tomorrow morning, already been postponed...  )

I'm thinking about sending small office supplies, like pens and pencils.  We'll see.

[Venus193]

Have you found a group to send to?  I haven't sent office supplies yet, but I found some lovely writing paper and envelopes to send to the women in the Baghdad group.

[jais]

I can have a group from MN tomorrow if you'd like............ Just let me know.  We sent BF about 4 care packages while he was there (2003, initial invasion) and both of us would like to participate.....

**Modified for spelling as it was past my bedtime.  **

[Venus193]

Just so everyone knows, this is the best site for advice and for finding someone who needs our help:

http://www.anysoldier.com/

The site also needs help.  I contributed $50 last month to keep it going.

I have to say that it feels good to know that this is appreciated.  I get notes from Baghdad all the time about the most ordinary stuff... likes Drakes snacks.

[jais]

What are Drake's Snacks??

[Venus193]

http://www.drakescake.com/

They're on sale in my area at the moment, so I might be sending more sooner than I thought.

[jais]

OH!! They look/sound just like Little Debbie's!

[Venus193]

They're a little more expensive, and the good thing is that there are a few things that don't have icing on them.  This time of year it's 100 degrees in the shade in most of the places of deployment and you shouldn't send anything that melts on the way.

[Ehelldame]

My soldier and his unit came home the end of March.  No loss of life in that unit during the six month tour.

[Venus193]

That's fabulous, Miss Jeanne.  My Baghdad group is there until the end of the year.  I have committed myself to sending them stuff every two weeks until the end of their deployment.  They have suffered no losses so far despite what's going on over there.

[retreadbride]

This is what I used to send to friends in the Navy who were out at sea:
Jars of peanut butter
Can of Wyler's lemonade mix
Honey-roasted peanuts
Hard candy
Chewing gum
Tootsie roll pops
Boxes of snack crackers
Shortbread cookies (Pecan Sandies were also a fave)
Paperback books
Skip-Bo and Uno

Always a big hit.

[Venus193]

I've wondered about peanut butter.  Next time I go to my client I can get huge ones for almost no money at all.

The thing I'm most often thanked for is the junk food.  At least half the postcards I get are about that.  More recently I sent (20) 6 oz. cans of Bumble Bee tuna when I found them at 2/$1 with boxes of Triscuit crackers and "jars" of lemon adobo.  Sgt Jean sent a nice e-mail telling me how much the guys appreciated that.

I might send an extra package this weekend to beat the postal rate increase, as the stuff crowds my apartment.  I buy a lot of stuff when I see bargains that could disappear quickly.

[Venus193]

Update:  The Baghdad group's deployment has been extended by three months.  They will have to be there through Christmas, which is depressing them.

I ended up sending 40 of the Betty Crocker things to them yesterday along with some more Drakes and some humanitarian supplies.

When I go out in a little while I will probably pick up some toothbrushes and other things for my next packages to them, which I will be sending in two weeks.

[afbluebelle]

Anyone know a good place to get addresses?

Our group that we were supporting (Army Base next door) came back, so I have no one to send stuff to anymore.  Care packages are almost more fun to send than to get... almost. (My bunkmate would have fried to a crisp without them, the px runs out of sunblock QUICK)