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!                

[Lorraine]

So appreciated, Carol! Thanks!

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

Just received a box directly from Mary Kay via the Lt. Commander that's a Mary Kay gal.  I think I'll go ahead a pre-pack a box with the shower/shave gel and fill it up with tampons and some other girly stuff.  I have some little girls who volunteered to decorate pillow cases.  They're going to do about half of the 68 I have.  I know they want to do girly ones for sure and then decorate the rest for the guys. 

I've heard from several people who are going shopping this weekend of things.  I think we'll do well here.  I'm still writing the piece for the newspapers, but will have it done tomorrow.  Oh, I also received 100 boxes today!

[Lorraine]

Thanks, Ruth. You are doing a wonderful job and I know it's coming from your heart for this group. Shall we wait to post your box number until after your packing party? I think I have accumulated enough for 3 boxes so far and I have a couple friends who each want to do a box.

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I don't have any idea how many boxes I'll have!  I'm submitting an article to the newspapers today. 

[Lorraine]

Pillowcases are taken care of thanks to Ruth, a church, and WeStitchLove. Thanks ~ you are all awesome!

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

Lorraine, I will be doing something for this month's adoption.  Not certain exactly what I will do, but hoping to get shopping on Saturday and then I can be more specific.  Are we trying to do a box for each person?  Or, make the box for a group to share?

I have 2 sets of twin "girlie" sheets and I will include them for sure.  I could make 2 girl boxes with a set of sheets in each.

Let me know how you want me to handle this.

[Lorraine]

Thanks, Proud Navy/NYPD Mom. It's always nice to have enough boxes for each person and that's what we hope for. But we are considering each box a "bulk" box and the items can be distributed as needed once they get there. If you make a girl box, you can mark it as such on the outside. If you have enough for two boxes, that will be great!

[Pentwater98]

Put me down for 2 boxes..

[Lorraine]

Thank you, Pentwater98!

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I just typed a LONG message that disappeared!  Grr.  So the short version is that a famiy of crafters took about two dozen pillowcases this morning to decorate.  The daughter plans on making 14 girly ones, so maybe I can come up with more so that everyone gets a pillowcase as I know some of you have girly ones, too. 

 

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I'm doing this in parts so that it doesn't all disappear again.  Sam's Club awarded me a $25 gift card so I bought tampax ($13.98), Always ($12.98), and Always pantiliners ($6.98).  That's more than $25, isn't it?!!!  Oh, well, because I bought 2 big boxes of toaster pop-ups (48 each). One box was $6.87 and one was $2.50 cheaper as I have the eValue card.  Limit of one per customer.  I should have thought and just gotten one this time and one next time.  Anyway, I'm collecting.  I dropped off a flyer at the Milan, IL, American Legion.  They'll collect things, I'm sure. 

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I know a woman who goes all out to help me with the collection.  So far, she's gotten more pillowcases, so we're ok there.  Then she's trying to track down100 hand gels that are American berry pie scented.  Her most clever idea though was to go to Helzburg Diamonds and get enough I AM LOVED pins to put on the pillow cases she has.  Why didn't I think of that?!

Special request from our adoptees--plain applesauce, not the flavored kind.