JULY Adoption - Chilling Out!

[Lorraine]

Our JULY adoption is a group of 141 sailors, airmen, and soldiers stationed in Afghanistan – 126 males and 15 females.

 

Our theme is ‘CHILLING OUT’ and we hope to bring some relief to their hot environment by sending some items that cool or bring cooler temps to mind. They live in rooms much like a dorm with power, microwaves, and a fridge with freezer, so any kind of food can be accepted. The summer temperature runs in the high 90’s and can hit the 130’s so this group needs some “cool” things for chilling out.

 

TOP PRIORITIES: DRINK MIX (including MIO), COOKIES, GUMMY BEARS AND LETTERS. Some of them have not received any mail so let’s make sure we send letters (including local newspapers, pics of your town/area, jokes)

 

Here are some “COOL” ideas to help them through the heat and have some fun:

• Cooling towels and neck bands (see note in Pages on making your own bands)
• Powdered drink mixes (Sam’s Club has large Gatorade and Arizona Tea canisters). This group specifically requested a drink mix called MIO.
• Water balloons, squirt guns, water bomb splash balls, and mist bottles/ fans, small ice cube trays (with fun shapes)
• Baby wipes/pre-moistened cleansing wipes
• Flavorice (freezer pops) and Jell-O (does someone have a finger Jell-O recipe to send along?)
• Noxema, aloe, lip balm and burn gel
• Canned fruit (Sam’s Club has boxes of easy open single servings)
• Hard candy (like Jolly Ranchers, Smarties, Sweet Tarts, Skittles, cool burst gum)

 

Other welcome items:

• Coffee, sweetener, creamer
• DVD’s, books and puzzle books (maybe some with a water or beach theme?)
• Games, magazines, writing pads/pens
• Beef jerky
• Energy/protein bars
• Dried fruit, nuts, trail mix, sunflower seeds
• Microwaveable soups/cakes/meals/Easy Mac
• Canned meat (tuna, chicken), Mayo, Miracle Whip
• Snacks (popcorn, pretzels, etc.)
• Wet Mop refills, laundry detergent, air freshener, lotion (like Vaseline for Men)

Personal Care – They have a BX with most of the needed items but you can certainly include some items if you wish like sun screen, non-aerosol deodorant, dental supplies, Mach3 razors, eye drops, air freshener, flameless candles, cough drops, foot powder

Pillowcases accepted - Nancy will send the girl cases this month plus 55 cases from the Rocky Cross church, so we will only need 75 more. Please go to the WSL (We Stitch Love) discussion to add into the pillowcase count. Completed - thanks!

 

Shipping Dates: July 23-25 – address will be posted in mid-July. Boxes will be bulk (specify if female only) and don’t forget the letters. Let’s help these sailors, airmen, and soldiers “Chill Out” this summer.   Thank you!                

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I just left Gigi's Playhouse, a Down Syndrome Awareness Center.  I left 25 feet of poster paper.  The kids are going to make banners and cards and include their pictures.  They are so excited!  We all know that even with gummy bears and razors and everything else we send, it's the personal "human" things that mean the most.  This is going to be neat!

I just messaged my son on facebook.  There will be an "unpacking" party in the motorpool in August.  He says his "shop" knows what's coming, but the Camp does not.  He's said they'd figure out something to surprise them and be able to share the booty. I told him that most boxes will probably not be individual, but packed so that things will need to be shared.  Maybe everyone will get one to open though. 

I've been bugging him to send some pictures.  I got one of his decorated door which I can't post because it's got his name, but he sent this one.  I have no idea what we're looking at--work or living huts? 

[Lorraine]

Ruth, You are definitely gaining valuable contacts and some great stuff to send! Bless those kids for wanting to help. I can't wait to hear the outcome of this adoption -- sounds like there will be a lot of surprised sailors, soldiers and airmen when they have the unpacking party. Thanks for the pic, too. I'm imagining underground (cooler) living compartments?

Ladies, in case you missed it, Ruth's son is part of this adoption, but we can't let her pull this off all by herself. I hope you are planning something and will let us know what you can do this month. Thanks!

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

They play a game in the area of the previous picture--we call it bags, he calls it cornhole.  It's the bean bag toss game.  Here's another picture I got this morning.  "I went to get a haircut this afternoon and saw these guys standing around with cardboard hats......probably the best picture Im going to take while Im here."

[Lorraine]

Thank you for the responses to this adoption. Here is what has been promised so far:

JULY MOLLY'S PROJECT - CHILLING OUT!
10 boxes flavorice	Pat
40 DVD's	Pat
68 Pillowcases	Ruth
137 packets drink mix	Ruth
4 - 44 count pks Crystal Lite	Ruth
3 - 10 qt Crystal Lite	Ruth
2 boxes nut mix	Ruth
6 pack beef jerky	Ruth
4 pkgs wipes	Ruth
2 MIO	Ruth
4 Frogg Togg chill towels	Kim
Kim's Daughter/Salon - waiting for results of collection
All pillowcases spoken for
1 BOX (snacks)	Carol's Kitchen
2 BOXES	Pentwater98
3 BOXES	Lorraine
participating	(Donna)	Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)
participating	Laura
participating	Jae.Hannahs.Mom

[Lorraine]

Gulf Coast Mom - 2 boxes

Kim - box with baby wipes, sunflower seeds, MIO and Crystal Light

[Lorraine]

PA packing party - 50+ boxes?

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

Woo Hoo!  That's great!!!

[Pat L. in IL]

PA packing party did 85 boxes!!

[Lorraine]

Thanks for verifying The PA packing party, Pat. That's amazing! Thank you, Pennsylvania Moms!!!!!

[Lorraine]

Nancy - 2 BOXES plus pillowcases. Thanks, Nancy!

[Lorraine]

Ruth's group did a great job of packing today (Sunday) and they prepared 62 boxes!!! Great job to Ruth and all her friends.

[Kim (Ethan's Mom)]

I also have a case of baby wipes (8 pkgs) 24 bags of sunflower seeds, 6 MIO and 36 Crystal Light packs.