Six or seven posts back I commented on the generosity of StreamLight because once again they were to have donated 12 tactical flashlights to the Soldiers' Holiday Care Package this year as they did last year. Well it did not happen, and it is not going to happen. Now don't get it wrong, it is not that they have rescinded their offer or anything like that. The truth of the matter is that they made it even better. You see they sent me 16 TL-2 LED Tactical Flashlights instead of 12, and I received them today. It was not a mistake either, it was Angel DelliGatti and StreamLight being very, very nice. You see when I inquired about purchasing flashlights this year directly from Streamlight, Angel told me that we would again get a dozen flashlights from StreamLight for free. Well it was great news, but I again asked for a price so I also could buy a few to go into the package from the donations you guys sent in for the package contents. That way at least we could have shown our appreciation and support of StreamLight and Ms. DellliGatti by actually making some sort of purchase from them. Well instead of sending me a price, they sent another 4 flashlights for free.Once again, I find myself humbled. I have to say that StreamLight and Ms. Angel DelliGatti have left me absolutely amazed at their kindness, and at their unflinching support for our troops. Heck they don't know me from Adam, yet they sent me 16 flashlights that I found retailing anywhere from about $57 apiece to $65 apiece depending on the dealer. The lights they sent me are the TL-2 model, not the NightFighters I thought we were going to get, but appear to be quite similar and I am not complaining. In fact the lights are fine looking pieces of tactical gear at that, and you can see just what they sent here:
http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=36
The specs seem much the same if you look at the NightFighter here:
http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=32
Or you can compare the specs for both side by side here:
http://www.streamlight.com/product/productcompare.aspx
Now if there is any doubt as to how much these little beauties retail for, just go here and take a look:
http://www.streamlight-flashlights.com/881-5.html
Yep, the price tag shows them ON SALE at $64.95 each, and shows the regular price of $99.95! Of course, as I said earlier, I have found them as low priced as about $57.00. Still that is no little amount especially when you consider that StreamLight sent 16 of them. If we bought them at the lowest price I found, that would have amounted to about $912! Yet Angel DelliGatti of StreamLight got her company to send them to us free of charge for inclusion in the Soldiers' Holiday Care Package. I think you have to agree that Angel and the rest of the folks at StreamLight are truly generous and GREAT AMERICANS! I have to hand it to them, they are awesome in their kindness and patriotism.
Last year, StreamLight sent extra batteries for the lights. This year they did not. Don't misunderstand me - no complaints from me especially since they sent 4 additional free flashlights this year over last year's dozen. I just mention it because it means I may buy 32 replacement CR123A lithium batteries this year from your donations, two extra batteries for each light. Each flashlight requires 2 batteries, and each is packaged with two batteries, but I figure it would be a good idea to send some extras. After that I would imagine the troops can get their own from their commissary or base exchange, or sent to them from home. If not they can always drop me a line and I'll see what I or we can do. I'll see how the money situation works out after I buy some other things for the packages first.
My next stop will be somewhere for some decent folding knives. If I recall right, last year I bought some Gerber and Buck folders. This year I am thinking of buying 11 folding knives. That way, of the 26 guys in Jamie's unit, one can get a knife, the next one can can get a flashlight, and so on alternating down the line. Jamie himself will be given a light and a knife - so my math works out okay. One of each to Jamie, leaving 10 knives and 15 flashlights (25 items) to be distributed among the other 25 guys. They can do it by drawing straws or numbers or like a grab bag, but each guy will get either a knife or a light if Jamie follows my suggestion on how to dole em out to his unit.
Enough of this for now.
Oh, one other thing, I got another $10 donation sent in via PayPal. I think that makes the total something like $290 in monetary donations so far. I'll only be collecting up through next weekend, so keep it coming please so we can make a real difference for these guys this year.
Again, in closing, allow me to say:
THANK YOU ANGEL DELLIGATTI AND STREAMLIGHT.
All the best,
Glenn B
