November 2013 Adoption… USS RENTZ FFG-46

[Donna]

Jingle Bells… Jingle Bells… Jingle and the way to the Crew of the    

     USS RENTZ

3 Females and 240 Males Aboard

 

We are heading back to sea and sending out love out to the USS Rentz FFG 46.  They are currently assisting the Coast Guard performing drug enforcement off the coast of South America.  They are about midway of their eight-month deployment and ready for some love from home!

We would like to send each sailor a small VHS sized box filled and wrapped as a Christmas gift to be opened on Christmas morning.  If you pack them carefully you can fit eight of this smaller box in a large FPO box.  That is a total of 300 VHS boxes...  are you ready moms??

Pillowcases are a go!  They will have them set out for the guys to choose from on Christmas day.

Remember it is warm where they are- still in the 90 degree range every day!  So there is no need of warm hats or gloves for this group... even Santa will want to slip into his bathing suit for this delivery!

Let's show them our mom love and send the very best for the Christmas  Hannuka  Kwanza Holiday… Season

Drinks: Gatorade Powder, Capri Sun, Maxwell House & Starbucks Coffee

Food: Canned Tuna, Chicken, Soup,  Mac & Cheese, Noodles

Snacks: Individual Cakes, Pretzels, Potato Chips, Peanuts, Trail Mix, Candy, Microwave Popcorn, Beef Jerky, Protein Bars, Granola Bars, Cookies

Toiletries : Soap, Deodorants, Tooth Paste, Tooth Brush,  Mouth Wash, Disposable Razors, Razor Blades (Gillette Mach III), 

Misc. Magazines (current Hot Rod, Motor Trend, Guns & Ammo, Gossip)

Head Phones, Disposable Cameras, Sports Water Bottles, Mini Fans, Amazon Gift Cards,  Dr. Scholl’s Inserts, 

Movies:  The Wire (Season) Box Set, Smallville (Season) Box Set,  Dark Angel (Season) Box Set Charmed (Season) Box Set,   Martin (Season) Box Set,  Deadwood (Season) Box Set

Games: XBox 360 and PS3  Video Games

SHIP DATE  11/20 - 11/22

 

[Donna]

Sylviar14

A Navy Veterans Club here in CT was extremely generous with donations.  If your looking for help you may want to contact any Navy, VFW etc.  and ask if they'd be willing to let you leave a collection box at there club.

My daughter and her volleyball team set up a booth at the grocery store and  received a lot of  donated items as well as cash which was used to purchase the items we needed.  This is more of a suggestion for another party since the grocery store usually fills up quickly with the booth requests.

 

[Donna]

Thank you Kim,  for this wonderful advice!  We also put into our DVD boxes small sized books of suduko (hope I spelled that correctly) and crossword books from the dollar store,  just have to be careful of the size.

[carols_kitchen]

You could also decorate lunch bags if you can't get the small boxes.  I can fit 8-10 in a large flat rate box.  If you do that, I would suggest you paper punch two holes in the tops when folded, and then put a ribbon through them so they feel like they are opening a gift.

[Susan mom to Niko]

Hey all!!  My son is aboard the USS Rentz!!  He is not attached to the ship but is with the Helicopter Squadron that is assigned to the ship!!  How exciting that he will see our wonderful love arriving to his ship after hearing about other adoptions over the years!!

The WA moms will pack 48 of the VHS sized boxes...  I am sure we will also have other items to send along with those!!  I'll be back to let you know!! 

[Tammy B (Chris' Mom)]

That is awesome Susan!

[Carol (jonsmom)]

We will ship 30 VHS boxes + a couple of general boxes out of the Alabama Group.

[Donna]

jonsmom  Awesome!!!!   carols kitchen  great idea.

So happy to see this is coming together so nicely :)

You ladies ROCK!!!!

[carols_kitchen]

We started out as writing letters before we began troops adoptions. Letters and cards remain a HUGE basic to this group. You can always ask some friends to write letters and fill out some Christmas cards with chatty news of what's going on in their lives. When I Judy send letters, I pick up the flat rate envelope t about $ 5.50 for shipping.
This month I won't be able to do much, either, as been on sick leave and only have enough saved backed to keep up my health insurance premiums. Other months I've done 1-3 boxes. Everything is greatly appreciated!

[Susan mom to Niko]

And if you look at the pictures.. cards and letters are always the biggest draw and the first things opened and looked at!!  Gone are the days when they were little kids and tearing open a package first and you having to remind them to look at the card to see who gave them the gift...  the true gift is the card and letter attached to the package!!

 

[Kim (Ethan's Mom)]

They will love cards made by the kids! The ship date is Nov 20-22. You mail them directly to them. It's better to send several in a larger envelope or box so individual letters don't get lost in all the shipping and transferring onto the ships. I don't write as many cards as I'd like to so knowing there are others who are sending cards, letters and pictures helps me not feel so bad!

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

If you end up with a lot of cards, notes or pictures.  You can send some to the Special Hugs group.  We need cards, etc. for the patients in the different units at the hospital in the sandbox that we support.  Just a thought if you get a lot.

Info on SH is in a discussion above & mailing addy is in our special place.  If you have any questions about where, you can either send Pat L. or me a PM.

[Donna]

Donna,

It's possible I can get more girl scout cookies.  Before I sent a note to the GS council I wanted to check with you first.

donna