An Opportunity to Help Our Wounded Servicemen and Women

Self | April 21, 2004 | Brad's Gramma

[Brad’s Gramma]

Freepers, I have been sent an email from someone stationed in Iraq regarding an urgent need by our wounded servicemen/women. For security reasons, the whole email can NOT be posted here. Read on, please.



Today I went to visit the military hospital here in the Green Zone. Yesterday my boss (a Marine) had gone to visit some of the Marines brought here from the Fallujah fighting. When he asked one of the wounded Marines if there was anything he could get for him, the Marine requested a razor so he could shave and be within standards again before he was discharged from the hospital. My boss also found that the hospital basically was lacking phones for the patients to be able to call home and talk with their loved ones. I think they only had one that the chaplain carried with him and let the patients use when visiting them. We were able to scrounge up a few razors and got a couple of our cell phones signed over to the ward. I took the items back today along with some candy folks gave me and spent some time talking with the patients.

Afterwards, I talked with the ward personnel and they gave me a list of items they can always use. Our hospital is the largest surgical hospital here in Iraq so most of the patients are evac'd here for their initial care until they can be stabilized and evac'd to Germany or returned to duty (although it is not a big hospital-more like a clinic sized unit).

Of course most of the wounded come in with only what they were wearing in most cases. As such, they don't have things like toothbrushes, etc. A lot of you are always asking if there is anything you can send me. There really isn't anything I need, but these folks could use some things for the wounded. It really is humbling when you think about these young men and women who have been wounded, some of them terribly, and they are really excited about getting a razor or some chocolate candy. So, following is the list of things the ward personnel said they could really use for their patients.

On the hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), they are interested in the travel size products because the wounded are normally only here for a short period of time before they are transferred out to bigger hospitals that have better supplies of these items, or back to their units where they have access to their stuff. If you would like to donate any of these things (or start a drive for these things) just mail them to me. My office will sort the items and make sure they get to the hospital. If you would like to send food items, we'll need individually wrapped or single serving items. And, chocolate is okay if it's mailed soon before it gets too hot (but to tell the truth, we've been known to lick it off the wrapper when we want it bad enough!).

Razors
Shaving Cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Mouthwash
Soap
Shampoo
Feminine Hygiene Products
Underclothes (male and female)-okay this may sound like a strange item, but remember they normally only come in with the stuff they are wearing and normally those are ruined
Slippers/FlipFlop type of things (in large sizes-apparently the things on the local economy are pretty small)
Hospital PJs
Candy
Crackers
Snack Items
Anything else you can think of

Additionally, we like to go out and give our young Marines pulling post duty candy/cookies, so we can always use that type of stuff. We had a great time delivering our Easter candy stash Sunday and we left a lot of Marines grinning from ear to ear.

* * * * * * *

MoJo20001's husband's division is going to be collecting the items and sending them via transport to the hospital in Iraq. IF you feel so inclined, and the need IS urgent...please let one of us know.

We also are coming across names...MANY MANY names of servicemen who need care packages, a letter, sometimes depending upon the branch of service, an email. If you can commit to being faithful with the correspondence, PLEASE let us know about that, too.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

BUMPING THIS AWESOME THREAD! HELLO!!! YOU HAVE ANOTHER FREEPMAIL TO ATTEND TO!!

[vandykelastone]

Where do I send stuff or money?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

An Opportunity to Help Our Wounded Servicemen and Women

Today I went to visit the military hospital here in the Green Zone. Yesterday my boss (a Marine) had gone to visit some of the Marines brought here from the Fallujah fighting. When he asked one of the wounded Marines if there was anything he could get for him, the Marine requested a razor so he could shave and be within standards again before he was discharged from the hospital. My boss also found that the hospital basically was lacking phones for the patients to be able to call home and talk with their loved ones. I think they only had one that the chaplain carried with him and let the patients use when visiting them. We were able to scrounge up a few razors and got a couple of our cell phones signed over to the ward. I took the items back today along with some candy folks gave me and spent some time talking with the patients.

Afterwards, I talked with the ward personnel and they gave me a list of items they can always use. Our hospital is the largest surgical hospital here in Iraq so most of the patients are evac'd here for their initial care until they can be stabilized and evac'd to Germany or returned to duty (although it is not a big hospital-more like a clinic sized unit).

Of course most of the wounded come in with only what they were wearing in most cases. As such, they don't have things like toothbrushes, etc. A lot of you are always asking if there is anything you can send me. There really isn't anything I need, but these folks could use some things for the wounded. It really is humbling when you think about these young men and women who have been wounded, some of them terribly, and they are really excited about getting a razor or some chocolate candy. So, following is the list of things the ward personnel said they could really use for their patients.

On the hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), they are interested in the travel size products because the wounded are normally only here for a short period of time before they are transferred out to bigger hospitals that have better supplies of these items, or back to their units where they have access to their stuff. If you would like to donate any of these things (or start a drive for these things) just mail them to me. My office will sort the items and make sure they get to the hospital. If you would like to send food items, we'll need individually wrapped or single serving items. And, chocolate is okay if it's mailed soon before it gets too hot (but to tell the truth, we've been known to lick it off the wrapper when we want it bad enough!).

Razors
Shaving Cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Mouthwash
Soap
Shampoo
Feminine Hygiene Products
Underclothes (male and female)-okay this may sound like a strange item, but remember they normally only come in with the stuff they are wearing and normally those are ruined
Slippers/FlipFlop type of things (in large sizes-apparently the things on the local economy are pretty small)
Hospital PJs
Candy
Crackers
Snack Items
Anything else you can think of

Additionally, we like to go out and give our young Marines pulling post duty candy/cookies, so we can always use that type of stuff. We had a great time delivering our Easter candy stash Sunday and we left a lot of Marines grinning from ear to ear.

* * * * * * *
It looks like we can begin sending items
directly to the hospital in Iraq.

If you’d like the information on where to send the items directly to our Troops,
please FReepmail MoJo2001, Brad’s Gramma or Kathy in Alaska for the address.
We will not put the address out in the public forum and we ask that you don’t either.
Thank you!

MoJo2001............................. Kathy in Alaska........................... Brad's Gramma

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Where do I send stuff or money?"

Please see post 963

[Brad’s Gramma]

IF anyone's reading this thread tonight...MoJo sent me THE nicest looking chart with an update on all of the goodies that have been received.

She's gone to bed. I, being illiterate w/html (for the most part) am unable to post it here. Tonight.

So tomorrow when she wakes up, rubs the sleep out of her eyes, comes to her computer and logs on.....well, she'll probably never talk to me again. (gulp)

It's been nice knowing you all. HAHAHHAHAAAAAAAA

A LOVELY UPDATE FROM MOJO is coming tomorrow. :-)

[Coop]

Morning bump!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Thanks!

[Coop]

My pleasure. A teeny, tiny contribution to improving/maintaining troop morale.

[Coop]

My pleasure. A teeny, tiny contribution to improving/maintaining troop morale.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Hic

[Brad’s Gramma]

(hehe)

[Brad’s Gramma]

For those of you shopping for our military...here's some ideas!!!

Note: Probably NOT for the hospital. :-)

[MoJo2001]

OPERATION FR CANTEEN SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!

Here's the updated list! Sorry I was unable to post it last night. Thank you so much FReepers for all the wonderful donations that we received from all of you.

The donations came in the form of money, supplies, cards, letters, FReepmails, and emails. Every contribution is greatly appreciated. God Bless all of you!

Thank you for making this happen!

ITEM	TOTAL RECEIVED 11 MAY 04	TOTAL OVERALL
SOCKS	0	114
HAND SANITIZER	0	75
SHOWER SHOES	0	75
BOOKS/MAGAZINES	17	68
ENTERTAINMENT	6	79
SOAP	29	255
FLOSS	2	205
MOUTHWASH	0	133
SHAMPOO	0	188
SHAVING CREAM	12	111
TOOTHPASTE	32	353
TOOTH BRUSH	36	302
DEODORANT	4	178
CHAPSTICK	0	102
RAZORS	60	1008
FEMININE HYGIENE	4	63
CANDY/SNACKS/GEEDUNK	10	99 lbs
SLIPPERS	0	78
LOTION	5	112
PAJAMAS MALE	0	21
PAJAMAS FEMALE	0	21
UNDERWEAR MALE	0	165
UNDERWEAR FEMALE	0	59
Q-TIPS	1	104
NAIL CLIPPERS/PEDICURE	20	92
POWDER	0	51
COMBS/HAIR BRUSHES	20	248
CORRESPONDENCE	21	136
BABY WIPES	0	55
ENVELOPES	400	620
WRITING TABLET/NOTEPAD	39	91
PENS	168	198
KLENEX	0	43
NAIL FILES	68	347
BRA’S	0	6
BATTERIES	0	28
DRNK MIX/TEA/COFFEE	0	25
TOILET PAPER	0	22
MAKE UP KITS	0	3
HAIR CLIPS/PINS/SCRUNCHES	0	28
CALLING CARDS	5  (120 min)	12
T-SHIRTS	40	115
BLUE SHORT/SHIRTS	0	08
TRAVEL KITS	0	15
MEDICINE/ICY HOT/ANTACID etc…	0	2
SHOWER CAPS	0	23
MONETARY DONATIONS	$ 100.00	$ 1115.00
TOTAL ITEMS RECEIVED	999	6,085

[DLfromthedesert]

God Bless our troops in these trying times.

[Brad’s Gramma]

CANDY...... 99 lbs

HAHAHAHAAAAAA I LOVE IT!!!!

Freepers, THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything!!!!

[catfur]

OK, will FReepmail you for the address.

Figured I'd better write a little message here too so that the thread gets bumped.

This is great, and I'll have lots to ship!

[cgk]

bttt

[radu]

I managed to get this list printed off earlier (before I got knocked offline by the rains) and will have it with me when I head out later this morning. These lists really help a lot when shopping for more goodies for the troops! Thank you!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Coop]

Telephone! See #976. :-)