Posted on 12/10/2001 8:03:00 AM PST by NorCoGOP
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Greeley/Evans Moose Lodge, 909
Greeley, Colorado 80631
Dear Servicemember,
We, the members of Greeley/Evans Moose Lodge 909, in Greeley, Colorado, wish to send you Season’s Greetings! We sincerely thank you for your service to our country, and, as many of our members are veterans, we are thinking of you as you are away from home during the holidays.
The events of September 11, 2001, once again have reminded all of us that evil unfortunately still does exist in the world. Your service in this time of peril is no different than the service that many of us, our parents, and our grandparents have given to ensure that freedom will endure. No job is insignificant – from the gunner’s mate to the mess specialist. Your service is guaranteeing the survival of freedom.
Once again, we thank you, and we hope you have a good holiday season. We also hope that you are able to return home soon, to your families, friends, and loved ones.
Sincerely,
The members of Greeley/Evans Moose Lodge 909 Shawn Harmer (former IC3, USNR)
Marlin “Butch” Webeck (former MM2, USN)
Committee co-Chairmen
"...So the two men came up with the idea of sending Christmas cards to sailors. They first decided to take card donations for the sailors of one ship, about 350 aboard a destroyer.They placed a notice in their Moose newsletter, asking members to donate new cards, or even leftover, unused cards from previous Christmases. It wasn’t long before the men realized people were generous when it came to honoring their military.
“Now we have about 1,500 cards,” Harmer said Saturday, as the club members gathered to package the cards. “Five times what we thought we’d get. We added two more destroyers, and saved some for next year.”
Members not only donated cards — some coming from as far away as Florida — but individually signed the cards and added Christmas messages..."
...[this project was co-ordinated by]
Butch Webeck and Shawn Harmer,
members of the Greeley/Evans Moose Club in Evans.Way to go, NorCoGOP!
This story is also posted on-line at: http://www.greeleytribune.com
Overseas wishes
Story By Mike Peters
Posted on Monday, December 10 @ 02:34:14 EST
"About a week from today, aboard the USS John Paul Jones somewhere in the Middle East, a lonely sailor will open a Christmas card from people he has never met in two towns he has never heard of: Greeley and Evans.Way to go, NorCoGOP!
That sailor and his 350 shipmates, along with 700 more aboard the USS John Young and the USS Russell, are the recipients of Christmas wishes borne in the minds of Butch Webeck and Shawn Harmer, members of the Greeley/Evans Moose Club in Evans.Both men are Navy veterans, Webeck serving in the Vietnam era, his son-in-law Harmer during the Gulf War. Both know what it was like to be away from home on Christmas.
“You go out on that deck on Christmas Day, and it almost seems deserted,” Webeck said. “It’s a lonely, empty feeling. ... you wonder what your family’s doing way back home on that day.”
So the two men came up with the idea of sending Christmas cards to sailors. They first decided to take card donations for the sailors of one ship, about 350 aboard a destroyer.
They placed a notice in their Moose newsletter, asking members to donate new cards, or even leftover, unused cards from previous Christmases. It wasn’t long before the men realized people were generous when it came to honoring their military.
“Now we have about 1,500 cards,” Harmer said Saturday, as the club members gathered to package the cards. “Five times what we thought we’d get. We added two more destroyers, and saved some for next year.”
Members not only donated cards — some coming from as far away as Florida — but individually signed the cards and added Christmas messages.
Frank Vawter of Greeley goes through a stack of Christmas cards
bound for sailors serving on three ships in the Middle East.
Jim Rydbom / Greeley TribuneOn Saturday, members of the Moose met at the lodge, along with some Navy recruits, to package the cards. They placed a special message in each card, a letter thanking the sailors for their sacrifices that ends with “We also hope that you are able to return home soon, to your families, friends, and loved ones.”The Moose and recruits were there because of their concern for the lonely sailors. “There are so many kids that don’t get anything for Christmas, not even a card,” said Charlsi Webeck, Butch’s wife.
The volunteers packed the envelopes and cards in cardboard boxes addressed to each ship. Thanks to the local Navy recruiters, the boxes will be cleared through the mail, despite the restrictions imposed on overseas military mail because of the recent anthrax incidents.
The Navy recruits were also there Saturday — mostly students from the Delayed Entry Program — who will graduate from high school before leaving for duty.
They were brought to the lodge by the local Navy recruiters, and each soon-to-be sailor jumped into the task of packaging the cards.
They seem to know that next Christmas, they could be the sailors on a ship in a faraway ocean on Christmas Day."
This is so exciting to get this coverage too. You far exceeded your goal too , WOW !!
F A N T A S T I C !!!!!!!!!!!!
((((((((((((((((( HUG )))))))))))))))
I'm just so happy about this!!!!!! Cards, letters, packages mean soooooo much !!!
Then, two weeks later, when the cards still kept coming, and coming, and coming.....we added two more. By Saturday, when we packaged all the cards, we could have added one more. However, we will use these to do it again next year. I think I will look for a goal of 3,500 for next year. I'm sure the Moose will come through again.
Way to go, NorCoGOP!(Good plug for Free Republic, too!!!)
Glad someone else caught it, too!
I am so PROUD of you!!!!!!
My cousin (who is also my best friend), put her son on a plane on September 10th to head to Navy boot camp. By ll:00 a.m. on the 11th, she was calling me crying (what Mother wouldn't be), worried because she knew it would be a few weeks before they would have contact with each other. (Of course, she was able to talk to him the following week, and he was able to make a suprise visit home for Thanksgiving).
However, thanks for your "God Bless" for those new Navy recruits.
We are in the organizing process to do this yet again - this year to one ship, two marine corp units in Afghan, and looking for more
Freepmail me if you'd like to send some surplus cards as well - all contributions will be welcome.
Last years goal was 350 - we did 1500+
This year's goal will be 2000.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
Staff writer Mike Peters’ column about Weld County people appears Mondays in the Greeley Tribune. His humor column, the Gnarly Trombone, appears Saturdays. 
