The first 5 boxes have gone out, carrying a variety of chips, dips, tortilla's, chili & refried beans, and of course, stuff that we'll just label as "blonde nonsense" because I believe all adults should behave in childlike ways every so often. Even if they're soldiers. Probably especially then. So, I included a BIGASS jar of little kid Bubbles, plastic bubble swords, Nerf footballs, silly flowers ... just your average goofiness a blonde could come up with and get to fit in a box headed for Kandahar.
I'm thinking there aren't many blondes in Kandahar, so I have a stateside responsibility to fill in the gaps. *smiles*
Danny tells me the boxes arrived in a timely manner, right when they were needed the most. After he and his men came home from a mission, my chips and dip were there waiting for them to munch out. Jim, he also says to express his sincere THANKS to you for putting your life at risk and meeting him so that this connection could be made. As you thought, Jim, our guys in Kandahar appreciate EVERYTHING we send them.
I'm working on my next shipment to go out. This time, 19 individual care packages. Much like packing creative box lunches, only these have a long hard route to travel before they get to Danny & his 18 men of steel.
I learned about Flat Rate boxes from Dayngr, who has passed on some very helpful tips AND is going to have her ultra experienced group create a project for our Kandahar guys!
Since I asked Jim to find another soldier for me and started the Kandahar Project, other really terrific friends have joined in on my "Remember our Soldiers" cause.
Ann is knitting the cutest teddy bears you can imagine to send over, Susan's box has all ready arrived and been greeted with surprise and pleasure, I'm pretty sure (unless I've gone completely blonde) that Sara has sent a box over as well. Karrie has been busy preparing a Kandahar surprise, and Cathy is on the verge of mailing her care packages out. Paul has even left a special note on his blog, sending people my way, encouraging people to get in there and HELP. A local friend, Marty, helped by shipping 3 of the 5 boxes I recently sent over, and of course, Duane has been there to answer any questions I might have had, or to YELL in my ear when I was multi-tasking, talking to him on the phone, and innocently asking the Liquor store clerk "How much do these magazines cost?" (as I was holding out a handful of Playboys & Penthouse for inspection, because our boys in Kandahar had asked for scenery to look at) Yeah... that's ANOTHER story for my blog. *impish grins*
It's been TOTALLY Cool how so many of you have offered to help or stepped in and helped.
THANK YOU! THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY OF HEART.
You're doing such a great thing!
Posted by: Dayngr | July 16, 2007 at 06:25 AM
This is such a terrific project. I've got to think of a way to get involved. Thanks for doing this!
Posted by: Connie Reece | July 16, 2007 at 07:05 AM
It's pretty amazing what we can come up with when we put our heads together.
:o)
The bear knitting continues...perhaps in view of the request from the guys for scenery bare knitting might be ok too?
Ann
Posted by: Ann | July 16, 2007 at 01:43 PM
...laughing at Ann's play on words. I was excited to know the box got there safely. I got a nice note from Danny and now am thinking up what I can send next. And flat rate boxes are almost as cool as sliced bread. *G*
Posted by: Susan | July 16, 2007 at 08:26 PM