FROM OUR TROOPS OEC IV

12/25/10 One of our most treasured letters this Christmas:

"I am the wife of a deployed soldier.  It is Christmas eve for me here in Utah, and Christmas morning in Iraq for my husband.  We were talking through the computer and I got the opportunity to watch him open the package that was sent to him.  I could tell that he had been feeling sad lately and missed being home especially with the holidays.  When he was opening your package and reading the notes written, he was a whole different person.  It made him so much happier and in turn, made me extremely happy as well.  Thank you for your support and please let me know how I can volunteer to help next year and with any other future projects.  I will have a lot of free time to help with whatever needs to be done.  Thank you for your response and for this wonderful program that you have started!"

Ashley

03/27/11

Our Dear Friend Cpl. Jeremy called us today to tell us he and part of his Marine Company of 980 are back in NC safely.  They are all safe and he is glad to be back.  They loved their packages as you can read below and it really cheered them up in that "awful place" as he wrote us.  Thank you to my friends, Fran, Rebecca, 's Brad, Army Wife and Mom, Lana, and others that helped me finish all care packages.  They wrote about this great news:

"Glad they are all back. Thanks for sharing."  Rebecca

"Hey that's great!!" Brad

"I love the updates and am so glad we can help out in some small way" Annie Odyssey Dance Theatre

03/05/11Thank you Captain Lockhart for these great videos of Soldiers opening our care packages we shipped out this year as soon as we heard you guys and gals deployed.  YOU WIN OFFICER OF THE YEAR BECAUSE YOU SEND US THIS FLASH DRIVE BACK SO QUICKLY AS YOU PROMISED!!!   

01/27/11"

Ma'am,

 "I wanted to let you know that the packages you sent were received last week.

The Soldiers really enjoyed knowing that someone back in the States was

thinking of them.  I think the best item in the packages were the letters

from kids.  All of them were very sweet, and some of them were really funny.

Including the DVD with the video showing the packages being put together was

a great idea, because it showed what a huge effort it takes to send all of

these packages. 

   For the video and pictures I did get, please let me

know where to mail the thumb-drive.

  Thank-you again for the gifts.  I think knowing that people in the USA cared

about us enough to go to all that work is really what meant the most."

 CPT L

/01/12/11From a dear FRG leader of one of our deployed military units: "

"Dear Denise,

     I just wanted to let you know that the leftover gift bags that you donated to our FRG's Christmas party were very much appreciated.  It was a treat to come by your home and see all of the wonderful things that you are doing to support the soldiers and their families.  My daughter and I were very touched and hope to be able to help you do more good things for other military families.  Thankfully, my husband's deployment is winding down very quickly, and they will be home before we know it!

K"

 " We have saved the t-shirts, soccer balls, and cleats and have them in a connex.  One of our companies that is here at ... is setting up an opportunity for us to give these things directly to the Iraqi children.  When that happens, I will make sure to get some pictures.  Thanks for all you do!"

 

Chap B

01//5/10  Our Friend Paul holding Utah Valley Magazine from his care package."Denise,

 Man, we have been so busy the last couple of months.  My assistant and I just delivered the last set of Christmas packages...  whew!!!  The soldiers loved them!!  Thanks you so much!   I sent a letter out with all of them explaining where they came from and your email address so I hope some of the soldiers write to you and tell you thanks!  Please tell all your volunteers Thank You!  It meas so much to all the men and women who serve.  We have been so blessed with so much stuff - we are set until the end of our deployment for sure.  I am including three pictures of soldiers opening up their boxes -:)   I can only send one picture per email, so there will be one with this one and then I will send two more emails with just pictures.  Again, Denise - Thank You!!

 Chaplain Timothy "

12/30/10 From another unit of soldiers we are sending more packages to:

"Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

I'll be happy to accept delivery of those packages and distribute them to my Soldiers. I can also take photos / video and send this on a CD to you.

Our APO is.....

CPT N....."

12/28/10"Ms. Denise,

 Thank you so much for all you and your group are doing for our Joes who are

down range. I really appreciate it and I know they will to.

 Thanks Again. If you should need any help please let me know and we here

will do all we can to help out.

 Sincerely yours"

SSG S.

(another unit of Army Reservists from Utah with 122 men that we are sending care packages to thanks to donations by Utah HR Council companies and LDS Church funding)

12/13/10 From another grateful Marine in Afghanistan:

 "I would like to thank all of the wonderful kids who took the time to write to me. Their love and support mean so much to me while I am away from home. I am at a base called Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. I have included a picture with one of the armored trucks we use. I hope all of you have a happy holiday season with your families. Your support means so much to me, and makes me work harder to try to make things safer for all of us."

 CW3 Alan W.

OMT 7 Chief

TF Red Bulls

12/12/10 From our dear friend Jeremy and 979 other Marines/Sailors in AFghanistan:

Jeremy wrote:

"WOW!!! Thank you Denise, and everyone that shiooed care packages out to myself and the Marines in 1st Battalion 8th Marines, Charlie Company (1/8 C CO) recently... You have really brightened the spirits of myself and many of the Marines out here in this aweful place this holiday season...

 Merry Christmas to you all; words cannot express our gratitude for this awesome gesture..." "I am not on the same FOB as the Chaplian; so I am usnure as to whether or not he got everything?

Once again thank you from myself and all of the Marines and Sailors out here with me.. It really meant a lot to us...


As for how I am doing; I am still recovering from an injury I sustained in a firefight (I wound up getting multiple disc buldges in my back from diving to the prone to avoid heavy machine gun fire), I will be out and about again soon enough though...

Always great to hear from you, talk to you again soon..."  Jeremy

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." -Albert Schweitzer

Your support and encouragement to our troops
brings comfort to their families and loved ones.
Thank you for the service you give to us.
Merry Christmas.

Best,
Kanani Fong
Writer and Editor 714/992-1640 or cell: 714/ 225-2128
PR Team,
RESTREPO, the movie
The Kitchen Dispatch: A Military Blog
PBS, Regarding War

12/05/10

"Denise D. & Letters to Soldiers Friends,

 The 934th Forward Surgical Team at FOB Sharana, Afghanistan would like to send you our warmest wishes and most heartfelt thank you for the wonderful letters and the great care packages.  We want everyone that participated in this project, which obviously was done with love, significant time, and great effort, that we very much appreciate what you have down for us.  It is not easy for us or our families to be separated for such a long period.  Our team provides medical care to wounded Soldiers and Afghan people.  We are sadden whenever a wounded Soldier comes to our clinic, but we feel honored to be able to help out in anyway we can with their healing so they can return to their families.  Something that has been a tremendous help for our team is the amount of support we receive from back home.  The kindness and support you showed to us in the nice things said in the letters and the fun gifts in the packages makes us feel uplifted and helps us know that we are not alone in this endeavor.  We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Thank you for taking the time to lighten our load and brighten our day!

 I attached pictures of some of the 934th FST Soldiers opening their packages and a copy of our team Christmas eCard.

 With Sincerest Thanks,"

 1LT A. A. , SSG N.C. , & the rest of the 934th FST Soldiers

FOB Sharana, Afghanistan

11/06/10 From our Troops protecting us: Tell Everyone Thanks Again!"From 350 soldiers' Chaplain"

We appreciate receiving many hand written cards and letters from this Brigade.

"Oh, thank you so much, Denise!!  My assistant and I are heading out to day, in

fact to a couple of FOBs and are taking their packages with us!  :)  You are

the best - tell everyone thanks, again!" 

T.

11/05/10  From Brigade of 350 Soldiers from Utah in Iraq:

 "Dear Denise,

 Hello!  We received the first of the Christmas packages today.  Just so I am

tracking...each individual box goes to one soldier, except for the ones that

specifically say for two soldiers - is that correct?  I do not want to open

them up - so if each box is for one soldier, I will put their name on the box

and get them out as soon as I can.  You guys are all so awesome!  Thanks so

much!  I will try and get some pictures with the soldiers receiving the boxes

as I am telling them to wait until Christmas to open them up."

Chaplain b

12/05/10 From mom of one of our female soldiers:

"Thank you so much for sharing Denise! I know that the 971st is holding their boxes until Christmas but my daughter promises video footage, so we will keep our fingers crossed for that and I will make sure you get it!

You are awesome!"

Amy

A very moving and inspirational young lady asking for us to send a package to her father serving:

"Could you add my dad to your list? His address is:

S.P

A.CO. TF 3-197th

THanks so much.

 Alexandria United States Coast Guard Pipe Band Piper Trainee www.uscgpipeband.org/ Piping Sponsor True Fit Covers http://truefitcovers.com/ Bugler serving the Roseau County area"

And her thankfulness:

Nov 25, 2010

 

  " My name is SFC H. and I am a station commander(recruiter) in Reidsville NC.

 I have recently been asked about sending letters and care packages to soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan?  Can you please send me some basic info so that I may get the word out in my community to help this great cause."

V/R

SFC William H.

Station Commander

"The Reidsville Recruiting Station"

Reidsville, NC