The receipts for everything are here for all to review if you want to do so. There are 2 postal receipts, 2 packages on one, and 2 on the other. There are 4 Customs Declarations and 3 Insirance forms (I figured the box with only the ear plugs did not need to be insured, I can make them up if lost in shipping). There are 2 receipts from Costco, and 1 from WalMart, and 1 from Smoky Mountyain Knife Works, and I'll be darned if I can find the one for the cigars from Thompson Cigar (but when and if I do I'll post it here too). As it is I have a bone to pick with them, the cigars they sent while labelled the same as the ones oin the ad did not appear the same in size of shape; but maybe that is a minior detail with a sampler like that. The cigars went for $30 if I rememebr right.
All in all, everything went well again this year like it did last year. I wasa tad late in getting started this year but get started I did and with your help this was all made possible. Yes folks, without those of you whgo were kind enough to make donations, I can say without a doubt that this would not have come off at all. Yeah, I would have sent a package or two, but the $50 I would have spent on goodies would not have gone anywhere as far as what you donated went to buy the things we sent. Of course there was also the absolutely wonderfullly generous donation made by StreamLight again this year, this time 16 tactical flashlights. If that does not brighten up the holidays for the troops nothing will.
All in all we sent them the following:
16 TL-2 LED Tactical Flashlights courtesy of StreamLight's generosity
11 Buck BLW Folding Knives courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A box of assorted packs of crackers and cookies courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A couple of boxes of hard candies courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A box of chewing gum packs courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A box of 12 decks of playing cards courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A 5 pack of deordorant sticks
A 10 pack of ChapSticks courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A Box of Tootsie Pops courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A Box Of Swedish Fish courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A 25 pack cigar sampler from Thompson Cigar courtesy of the monetary donations you made
A box of 200 pairs of foam ear plugs courtesy of the monetary donations you made
Every penny you donated went to buy the items that got put into the packages. I also donated $50 toward the items, and I paid for tape and other shipping materials except boxes (I either used old boxes I had, or used Priority mail boxes for free), the postage and insurance.
All in all we did a good thing, and I am pretty sure that Jamie V. and the soldiers in his unit will appreciate them. As I may have told you before, Jamie and I do not write to one another as much as did I and Bob S. (my soldier last year). I guess that Jamie is not all that much for words, and as for me its just I sometimes forget. I did write to Jamie about the care packages we sent to him though, asking that he make sure to get either a knife or flashlight to each of the 26 people in his unit, with him being the only guy to get one of each. He wrote back in reply already and this is what he had to say even though he has obviosuly not yet received the items (and this is his email in its entirety):
hi Glenn hey thanks for the knives and flashlights that will come in handy dont worry the army always has batteries and thank you so and your co workers ok
Those thanks also go to those of you who are my internet friends who are not my coworkers. Rest assured I wrote to him that the donattions came from coworkers, my online friends, and from StreamLight with a special mention of Angel DelliGatti from StreamLight (she deserves more than just that, I'll have to think of someway to show my appreciation to her and StreamLight). I think we may just get another email of thanks once the tems have all been received by Jamie. Not much on words but a lot of content in what little he wrote. Your efforts and donations are appreciated I suppose more than we can know, or at least more than I can know never having been in the military myself.
Once again, this year as last, I forgot to put a Holiday Card into the boxes with all of your first names and last initials. I promise I will write that card today, and will get it out by this evening. Let me just say, in my defense, this is all a bit of a hassle, and I am at that forgetful age and especially forget things when I am in a hurry. Of course I got myself to the point where I needed to hurry to get these packages out, shame on me for that in the first place. I will remember the card todday though, now that the packages have been sent out things will be at a bit of a slower pace. of course I also have to do Christmas shopping for gifts for my family, but I can do that this wekend, and save today for that card.
All the best,
Glenn B
