You may recall that in December we told you the Board voted to send “care packages” to our troops for Christmas.  We put together 19 boxes and mailed them out to some of our very own members as well as troops deployed from Tinker’s 3^rd Herd and a few members’ relatives or friends. 

This activity was so successful and appreciated the Board voted to continue this activity.  We continue to need your help.  Please bring items to the next meeting or drop them off at the Environmental Management Office in Bldg 1 at Tinker.  The items requested are reading material (magazines and books, new or used), stationery, and non-perishable snack food items.  When we are ready to box them up and send off we will need volunteers to help. 

Below you will see excerpts from thank you letters/emails from the recipients.  

Vicki,
No time...I'm back in the good ole USA!!!!!!  I came in with the advanced party for redeployment and the rest of the battalion will be back this coming week.  I should be back to work on the 16th of August.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to you and everyone who supported me while I was deployed.  Your packages brought a little bit of home to hell on earth.  You guys are the greatest and I will never forget what you did for me.  God Bless You!

P.S.  I would feel honored if you would continue to support our troops by channeling your packages to other soldiers who may not have loved ones at home or who may not be receiving packages from home.  I'll get some names of soldiers that fall into this category and send them to you.  Janice and I are going to adopt a soldier in this manner.  Once again...thanks!!!!!

William A. Ward
MAJ, EN
S-3, 203d ECB (H)

"Vicki, Thanks so much for the packages.  Stuff from home is always appreciated.  I opened the packages and put them on our conference table and let everyone go through them...needless to say the stuff is all gone.  Everyone says thanks for the support and for sharing the Christmas spirit from home!!!! Should be home this summer...can't wait to see everyone...thanks again!" email (25 Dec '03) from William 'Bill' Ward, Maj. U.S. Army

"Dear SAME, Thank you so much for the care package you sent me for Christmas.  I got it a few days early and managed to share it with some of the guys in my platoon who didn't get much in the mail.  We were all grateful and it is always nice to get something from home. ... We can't get much in the way of snacks from home easily so packages are always appreciated.  And sometimes it feels like people back home forget about us and what we're doing so getting mail is always a big morale booster...Well, again thank you so much for your generosity and thoughtfulness.  What a great organization you have! God bless you" [a handwritten letter from] Paul Wiles C Co. 3/502 INF Ft. Campbell, KY 27 Dec '03