Thanks to everyone who has helped us to reach this goal !!!
It is correspondence like this that shows us that all that we do is appreciated by our brave soldiers overseas.
The Care Club is a group of caring individuals who came together to send soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan much needed morale-lifting care packages. The members donate items for the care packages, and money towards shopping and postage. We've had members do $100.00 shopping sprees for the club, and we've had members simply drop off a few used newspapers and magazines. Sometimes people will drop in just to drop off a few dollars too !!! Recently, the American Legion from Richfield Springs, New York, even contributed $250.00 to the Care Club. Much of the shopping, packaging, and mailing out of these packages is done by a group of developmentally disabled adults and staff members volunteering out of Springbrook's Community Connections 2 Day Habilitation Center in Oneonta, New York. Also volunteering is several family members and friends of it's founder.
*** HOW DO YOU FIND SOLDIER'S NAMES TO SEND STUFF TO ?
We started by going to the 'Books for Soldiers' website, but now we also use the 'AnySoldier.com' website. Soldiers post there what items they really need over there. Some even just ask for a morale-lifting letter or postcard.
*** SO, WHAT IS THE PROCESS IN SENDING OUT A CARE PACKAGE ?
First, we scan the large list of soldiers who has requested items that day, or recently. The number of soldiers we select depends on the available money we have at the time. We then go to the store, mainly WalMart or a Dollar Store, and pick the items up that they wanted, plus some we want to surprise them with. From there, we put the items in a box, tape it up, and send it out.
*** HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SEND A PACKAGE OUT ?
Most packages run about $8.00 to send. It all depends on it's weight, but $8.00 is about average. That does not include the price of the items. In most cases, our 'basic care package' runs roughly $15.00 to buy the items. Without the monetary donations from co-workers, community members, and local organizations, we would be unable to continue on mailing the care packages and holiday cards to the troops.
*** WHAT ARE THE MAIN ITEMS THE SOLDIERS ASK FOR ?
Sunscreen, skin lotion, baby wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, coffee, powdered drinks, snack foods, ramen noodles, games, used DVDs and CDs, and puzzle books, just to name a few... Oh, and magazines, books, and newspapers are like gold there !!! The good things about these is that we hardly ever have to buy these, mainly because of them being donated to us by many community members instead of them discarding them.
*** DO YOU ONLY SEND OUT CARE PACKAGES WITH PERSONAL ITEMS ?
No... We sent out over 3,623 Christmas cards out the last three holiday seasons... We have also sent out 55 large boxes of stuffed dolls, clothes, and school supplies to soldiers to give to orphanages, children's hospitals, and to local children over there while on patrol... We also have sent out 15 boxes of blank videos and childrens books so parents overseas can tape themselves reading to their children stateside, then mail both the video and book to their children... Last summer, we sent one unit several softball bats, softballs, and gloves so they could start up a softball league there.
*** DO THE SOLDIERS EVER WRITE YOU BACK ?
Often, they don't due to their very hectic daily schedule. But we have received many emails and letters from the troops thanking us. It's great hearing back from someone who we gave a brief amount of happiness to. To read some of the e-mails we have received, click the 'SOLDIER'S LETTERS' link at the top of this page.
*** HOW MANY PACKAGES HAVE YOU SENT TO DATE ?
As of September 4th, 2007, we have sent out a total of 1,008 packages to soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and other countries, along with 3,623 holiday cards !!!
THANK YOU...
