Care Packages

[Red Knight]

What the soldiers need depends greatly upon where they are. If they are in and around Baghdad proper, then they won't need much in the way of hygiene stuff. Soldiers in well built up areas can order specific things they need over the internet and have them delivered. I did that frequently.

What I enjoyed the most were things that reminded me of home. Minnesota stuff, like Nut Goodies and Pearson Nut Rolls, hand drawn stuff from unknown elementary and preschool kids, that kind of thing.

I still have some ornaments with recorded messages on them from children I have never met.

When we are over there we know our families and friends care for us and it is somehow even more special when someone we don't know sends us things they have made. It's a wonderful feeling receiving something like that.

By the way, CENTCOM (Central Command) General Order Number One forbids the possession and consumption of alcohol throughout the CENTCOM area (Pretty much ALL of Southwest Asia). Thought you might like to know.

Oh yeah, it also forbids sex in CONNEX's!!!

[kateri05]

just curious, why is alcohol forbidden? obviously, if you're on duty, no question. but don't you guys deserve a corona after a hard day's work

just wondering!

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='T-Bone _' post='1349368' date='Aug 4 2007, 09:34 AM']It's just ultra=pasteurized. It's like those little half and half things (not the nondairy creamer) that restaurants have.[/quote]

No, its more than that. Ultra-pasteurization just gives milk extra shelf life INSIDE the fridge. UP is where they pasteurize the milk, and then basically, re-pasteurize it (ultra-pasteurized milk is usually homogenized as well).

The stuff I mentioned undergoes even further processing beyond regular pasteurized or UP milk and its done at extremely high temperatures so that it does not have to be refrigerated until you open it. Its called "UHT milk"--they use such high temperatures that its basically sterilized, zapping it of all its enzymes and natural nutritional content (they add synthetic vitamins back in). (Natural enzymes are needed for making things like yogurt--this stuff wouldn't support the culture [regular pasteurized milk will, but ultra pasteurized and homogenized milk won't support the cultures for yogurt either]. Its like they take real milk and turn it into "fake milk.")

Sorry if I sound like a loon. lol That kind of thing just sort of creeps me out a little.

[Totus Tuus]

I know what stuff you're talking about, Ice Princes. I've had it on airplanes. I like the taste, but always feel like somehow I'm fermenting the inside of my body with all those preservatives : (By the way, you haven't read [u]The Milk Book[/u], have you??)



Well, I regret to say that this project of care packages has not taken off yet (because of several immediate family members having health complications... one brother had a concussion on Thurs.) But I am so excited to put ALL of these wonderful suggestions into practice in the coming weeks. This is going to be a great project.

Edited August 7, 2007 by Totus Tuus

[Totus Tuus]

OK... another as I get this project rolling. I emailed the diocese to get the contact info. of a chaplain, but being in a rather humongous diocese it may take about fifteen years before I get a reply. In the meantime I'm trying to calculate how much it will cost per care package.


I need your advice:

Should I ask people to donate a shoe box filled with exact items, or,

Ask people to donate whatever they want that is on the list I give them, or,

Ask people to sign up to donate a bunch of one thing, like, one person in charge of getting the shoe boxes, one person in charge of getting little packages of Oreos, etc.?


I think I'm going to also solicit funds for the shipping costs. I'm going to ask the post office if it'd be cheaper to send the shoeboxes individually or put several into a larger box.


I noticed one of the items in high demand was Velveeta "coagulated milk" What are your thoughts on sending this? I am hesitant because it would 1) take up a lot of room, and 2) be heavy, thus raising shipping costs.


Input is gratefully appreciated. Thanks!

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' post='1372368' date='Aug 28 2007, 12:45 PM']OK... another as I get this project rolling. I emailed the diocese to get the contact info. of a chaplain, but being in a rather humongous diocese it may take about fifteen years before I get a reply. In the meantime I'm trying to calculate how much it will cost per care package.
I need your advice:

Should I ask people to donate a shoe box filled with exact items, or,

Ask people to donate whatever they want that is on the list I give them, or,

Ask people to sign up to donate a bunch of one thing, like, one person in charge of getting the shoe boxes, one person in charge of getting little packages of Oreos, etc.?
I think I'm going to also solicit funds for the shipping costs. I'm going to ask the post office if it'd be cheaper to send the shoeboxes individually or put several into a larger box.
I noticed one of the items in high demand was Velveeta "coagulated milk" What are your thoughts on sending this? I am hesitant because it would 1) take up a lot of room, and 2) be heavy, thus raising shipping costs.
Input is gratefully appreciated. Thanks![/quote]

I'd give people the option of what they'd like to buy with a list of suggestions (makes it seem more personal, I think). But thats just me... I like having an idea given to me, but the freedom to do what I want with it. If that makes sense.

As for Velveeta and boxes getting heavy I have 3 words for you: Flat Rate Boxes. They could weigh 100 lbs and still only cost you 8 bucks. Sometimes a bigger box is not the best answer, often they charge by box size as well as weight---a lightweight box that is huge will still cost quite a bit to ship.

[Totus Tuus]

Thanks for the tips Ice!

Problem with flat rate boxes is that they are a certain size... probably not real conducive to shoe boxes. Unless you mean sending one box full of velveeta??

[IcePrincessKRS]

Yeah, the flat rate boxes wouldn't fit a number of shoe boxes. They do have one that is 11" X 8.5" X 5.5" which is about the size of one shoe box (I actually have one here next to my desk)--you could still fit a lot in a box that size (imagine all the beef jerky and cards you could fit in there). I am just telling you, from personal experience, that a box that will be big enough to fit a few shoe boxes (roughly 18x14x12) in it can cost you up to 50 dollars per box to mail because they will be charging weight and size.

I sent a number of boxes overseas before I moved over here and I spent almost $300 mailing about 10 boxes--the cheapest ones were the flat rate boxes I used to send my kids' books in. One box contained some clothing and a potty seat (not a full chair, just a lightweight seat that sets on top) wound up weighing 24 pounds and costing $45.60 to ship. That was about average--I had a couple that were $50-56. You wouldn't think it (I certainly didn't), but the things we send overseas get heavy much more quickly than we expect. Before I came over here I sent my husband and brother a number of packages (my brother was in Iraq) and on a number of occasions the postmaster told me it was a good thing I'd used the flat rate boxes because they were so heavy. I sent my husband 5 packages of beef jerky (so he could share it) and the postmaster showed me how much it would have cost in a regular box (I forget now, I think it was close to double the cost of the flat rate box--in either case it was significantly more).

So.... anyway, if you go the show box route, I would reserve the heaviest items for flat rate boxes. That should help cut the cost of shipping it all.

[kateri05]

does anyone have any suggestions for how to do this as a class project? i would love to do this with my kids for veterans day.

would it be better to do one box with lots of stuff? or lots of boxes?

and if you don't have specific people you are sending it to, who do you send it to?


i love all the suggestions for stuff to send, cuz i wouldn't know where to start!

[IcePrincessKRS]

See if you can find out the names/addresses of soldiers in your parish or community. They don't provide a list publicly (because of the risk of someone sending something like anthrax). I'm not really sure where you can get addresses from other than the families of soldiers over there. Generally speaking they are the only people the address is supposed to be "released" to (and from there can be passed along to other friends and relatives so they can send letters and packages). Its best to have an actual name on the package, but on the customs form you can check the box that says "treat as abandoned" if it gets lost and then they will just give it to a random soldier (or so I've read).

[IcePrincessKRS]

Oh, Kateri, another thought I just had, if you can find the name of a military chaplain to send stuff to he could distribute it to his soldiers.

[kateri05]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1373232' date='Aug 28 2007, 10:12 PM']Oh, Kateri, another thought I just had, if you can find the name of a military chaplain to send stuff to he could distribute it to his soldiers. [/quote]


oh i like this!! i kinda like the random idea tho, because how special would you feel if you were someone who never got things from home?

[CatherineM]

When my oldest foster son was over, he wanted boiled peanuts which is a southern weirdness. There's a guy in Florida who markets some in cans that we got to send him. I agree that regional tastes of home are a great comfort. If I could have sent him a grouper sandwich or a key lime pie, I would have.

[kateri05]

[quote]key lime pie,[/quote]

with real key limes??

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='kateri05' post='1373272' date='Aug 29 2007, 01:45 AM']oh i like this!! i kinda like the random idea tho, because how special would you feel if you were someone who never got things from home? [/quote]

Yeah, I agree. I just don't know how to go about getting a list of names to mail stuff to. I read that the way they did it back during the Gulf War was done away with and only family members are given the addresses--so you'd have to rely on a list compiled by your community or parish. I could certainly be wrong, there may be other ways of getting names and addresses I just don't know what they are.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1373232' date='Aug 29 2007, 12:12 AM']Oh, Kateri, another thought I just had, if you can find the name of a military chaplain to send stuff to he could distribute it to his soldiers. [/quote]
Yeah, someone in our Little Flowers group called the archdioces office and asked if there were any chaplains from here. There is. So we sent our stuff to him.

[IcePrincessKRS]

There is a Marine base near LA (my brother is stationed there ) so I know there has to be someone in the LA archdiocese that can give some information. It shouldn't be too difficult to get at least one chaplain's name!

[CatherineM]

You can also call any military hospital. When my son was stationed at the Navy Hospital in Portsmith, he asked me to make a set of stoles for a chaplain that was going overseas and wanted something a bit more subdued in color than bright red for outdoor masses. I used some dusty rose and pale lavender, etc. So I know they have chaplains there. You can also call the VAVS office at any VA hospital. They will help you with any addresses you need, as would any local VFW or American Legion.