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]

Gotta be at least 200 I think!

[Molly Molly Fo Folly]

I think 8 came from here ---- (shorts) 

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

Just got a call from far, far away.  Latest box count--first 110 boxes arrived, then 33, 13, 3, and 4, so 163.  He hasn't got any in the last couple days, so maybe that's it???  He's waiting a couple more days, then having an "unpacking party."

[Lorraine]

Can't wait to hear all about it! Thanks for the update.

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

Gulp, he is or was outside the wire, so I'm anxious awaiting word that he got back ok and get on with that unpacking party!  Usually, I don't know about this sort of thing, so it's driving me crazy. 

[Lorraine]

Thanks for the update. I've been hoping we'd hear soon.

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

I received this email this morning from A-stan.  We put a note in each box with who helped with our boxes and my email address.  A comment about the sheets--not only did we send pillow cases, we sent twin sheets, all of them used by former college students.

My name is Matt Figi, formerly SSG Figi and now a private military contractor.
I just wanted to say Thank You, to you all, for the care package.  I really
enjoyed the Rice Krispy treats and the M&M cookies. The sheets were
especially nice too.  I saw soldier after soldier walk away from your delivery
with smiles on their faces.  I also made sure that an assortment of your
packages makes it out to our smaller more remote places as well.  Thank you so
much, you are really making a difference in morale to the warfighter over here,
Take care!

[Lorraine]

Yay! What a nice response!

[Molly Molly Fo Folly]

Wow that is a nice letter ---and might I say the first contractor letter we have ever gotten ---go Xee that is pretty bad a** if i do say so 

[Lorraine]

News of the UNPACKING party:

It was a very good turn out Sunday. A girl, who is in one of the pictures, said that it was the best care package that she has ever gotten. One guy even said that since hes been here he has only gotten one other package from home and greatly appreciates someone sending a package. The one thing I would have to say needs work is that the packages with the shorts wasn't labeled right so someone could have gotten a full package of shorts. I just happened to of found 3 boxes with them. I did however take some of the left over packages and I am send it to a very small camp where they still have to sleep in the dirt every night. It is considered as the most hostile place to be in all of Afghanistan. Then whatever I had left I took over to the USO so they could give stuff out also, they were very happy and excited that I did that. I am however still expecting more packages since the number is only up to about 160 so when they come in I will just end up sending them to another very small camp that has the same conditions. I would also like to thank you and everyone else that helped to send something or helped to package it. Without people like yourselves deployments would be much harder. I have also attached the pictures I took, I know there aren't very many but earlier in the day I hurt my back and it was just a miracle that I was able to walk around and take any at all.
Maybe sometime in the future I can request another packaging party again. I am sure to have at least 5 more deployments before I end up getting out.
Very Respectfully,
Andrew

He sent pictures too!

[Lorraine]

More unpacking pics:

[Kim (Ethan's Mom)]

That is why I love to send individual boxes! They can have it all to themselves! They can trade or give away what they want but they can just take it off by themselves and it's just like Christmas! Thank you for sharing the pictures!