June Adoption - Yellow and Blue Barbecue

[Laura]

June marks the official beginning of summer so let’s have a

YELLOW AND BLUE BARBECUE

      Our June adoption is for a “crazy crew” of ABHs aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington CVN73. 

     The ABHs (Aviation Boatswain’s Mate – Handling) are the yellow shirts and blue shirts on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

     They launch and recover aircraft and work extremely long hours covering day and night flights.  Things get pretty hot working around “the birds” and this crew needs a bit of summertime fun to lift their spirits!  Bulk boxes filled with the ingredients for a fun summer picnic or barbecue would be great for this group!

     Based in Yokosuka, Japan, they are currently on patrol.  The ABH crew consisting of 165 males and 22 females.

They are requesting:

Food

beef jerkey, slim jims

energy/protein bars,breakfast bars, Pop Tarts, mini boxes of cereal, granola bars

dried fruit, canned fruit (easy open tops)

canned soup, cup of soup, tuna (in pouch or pop top can)

crackers, rice krispy treats, sunflower seeds, chips, pretzels, bean dip, cheese dip

cookies (any kind would be great) Jolly Ranchers, Smarties, Sweet Tarts, hard candy, gum

seasoning salt, hot sauce

Gatorade type mix for water bottles as well as the water bottles with straps

First Aid / Personal Care

aloe vera burn gel, lip balm, moisturizing/cleansing eye drops, saline nasal spray, throat drops

vaseline blister care, flexible & cloth bandages, surgical masks, bug repellent, pocket tissues

no-water aspirins, vitamins, cotton swabs, nail clippers, eye glass wipes, Avon Skin So Soft

"hoo-ahh" brand unscented pre-moistened field towels, waterless antibacterial soap, sunscreen

strong flashlight & batteries, air freshener, tablet laundry detergent, perfume, cologne

brushes, combs, foot powder, disposable razors, non aerosol shaving cream, deodorant

Fashion

cooling neck bands, good quality sunglasses, bandanas, black boot socks, padded insoles

Fun

deck of cards, DVDs, Nerf balls, and a big YES to pillowcases.

 

     I know that their list is long but these sailors really take a beating up there on the flight deck so let's send them some fun with a 

YELLOW AND BLUE BARBECUE

Please mail packages between June 23rd and June 26th.  Thank you!

 

[Laura]

LET THE SHIPPING BEGIN

[Molly Molly Fo Folly]

Hey is that a MAS sticker on the one in the middle ???   Sure looks like a printer one :)   

[Dana]

Hi Laura.  For your count I have boxes of bio-freeze and Febreze going out this week.  Hello to everyone!

[chowchow]

Hey I have 2 boxes going out one with personal stuff (plus tooth paste & tooth brushes) & the other box food and a few fun games cards, crossword puzzles, word search & etc oh some movies as well.  I do have a 3rd box going, but that one is to our son it just didn't seem right for me not to send my son his own box.  So that is my count I will send them off on Monday.

Chow Chow

[chowchow]

Wow you did great good job Twilk21.

[Pat L. in IL]

Laura, My 5 boxes are by the front door all ready for the mail carrier pick-up tomorrow!

[Lorraine]

I went from 2 boxes to 5! They will be shipped tomorrow due to the issue with the USPS website.

I contacted USPS Live Chat about the address issue. I disagree with the agent that it couldn't be standardized since their own zip code look-up was able to find it. I forgot to tell her we've been successful before. Here is what I was told:

Thank you for contacting USPS Live Chat. An agent will be with you momentarily.
Lorraine: The Address is E-2 Kathrine Abhan Joseph, USS George Washington CVN 73, Box 31, FPO AP 96650-2801
Kat: Hello Lorraine, my name is Kat.
Kat: I understand you have an issue creating a label to the address you are entering. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and will be happy to assist you with this issue.
Kat: One moment please while I check this address in our database.
Lorraine: Our Molly's adopt a sailor moms are very frustrated with USPS this month.
Kat: I am very sorry however, Military bases, universities, government associations, and major companies (which include hospitals) are what we consider as Single Point Delivery Systems. This means that all of the mail is delivered by the company or businesses own delivery system. Although the address is correct, Click N Ship is unable to create a label for it as the addresses are not standardized.
Kat: In order to ship packages to the USS George Washington please take them to the local Post Office to ship out.
Kat: I am very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

[Lorraine]

My boxes contain PopTarts, nuts, trail mix, razors, soap, deodorant, lots of dental supplies (floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and Biotene), envelopes/pens, Jell-O, canned fruit, canister of Gatorade drink mix, beef jerky and Little Debbie snacks.

Laura, Have you got a box tally yet? I hope we had plenty of items for this group. Looking forward to July!

[Pat L. in IL]

Sorry Lorraine but that is BOLOGNA!!!! We have used click-n-ship to print military postage HUNDREDS of times. Never had a problem until they "upgraded" the site. Upgrade, my fanny!!!!

[valeriejean]

When I went to the PO to ship, the receipt I got back said that  the APO shipment we normally use wasn't allowed for this zipcode....it had to be sent Express, which, or course, cost more $!  But at least the two boxes went out!

[Kim (Ethan's Mom)]

When I mailed mine, I told the lady at the post office that some of the moms couldn't get their packages picked up if they printed their postage at home to have it picked up. She said she hadn't heard anything about it but would check and let me know. I always go to our post office because it has been on the chopping block to close a couple times. I don't want to lose it so I give it a lot of business :)  It would be a little cheaper to ship and handier to have them pick it up but I want it to stay open.

[Laura]

Hello all.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Everyone did such a nice job pulling together to give this crew a nice yellow and blue barbeque!

The box total, not counting the Febreze & biofreeze (not sure how many boxes), is 65 boxes.  We have 53 food boxes and 12 personal/first aid boxes.

187 sailors divided by 65 boxes = 2.88 sailors per box.  That totally works for me!  Plus the Febreze, the biofreeze and any last minute stragglers that might pop up. 

I salute your efforts!