Amy!  You GO, girl!

Our guys are gonna just LOVE that cocoa and those marshmallows -- and all your warmth and caring!

Thank you for loving them! 

You ROCK!

--Marilyn

Someone wanted me to post this link, they are great shooter gloves from Cabella's just sent a pair to Chris

 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=0209_d_gloves-search_redir&id=0009179920003a&navCount=1&podId=0009179&parentId=cat601368&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=8IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

Angela

I don't remember if I posted this info or not yet, but in case I didn't...

I have a friend who has enlisted her college-age daughter, all her daughters' friends, & several other people to help her write up 168 Christmas cards!!  She expects to have them done by Sunday & then she intends to drive 2 HOURS to my house to give them to me personally!!

Another friend is acquiring a bunch of boxes of cider mix.  IF the Card  Elf hasn't sealed all the cards, we could put a packet in each card, but we'll see.

It is so heartwarming when people come together for a common good.

Hi,

If you have a Sam's Club near you, check them out.  I was there last week and they were clearancing the hand warmers for
$9.41/box of 30 pair.

Hi, everyone -- We have updates!

--SSG Christopher Little posted an update -- 11/20
--SPC Joseph Phan updated 11/19

The most recent list is here.

Love to all,
Marilyn

 Good morning, Dear Ones!

To say I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off would be putting it mildy.  I got word late yesterday afternoon that Circuit City has APPROVED my request to set up tables INSIDE the store for a fundraiser (thank goodnes cuz temps are in the 20's!!).  God Bless Circuit City!!!

Here's how it's gonna go down...I have letter tablets, pens, envelopes for on-the-spot letter writing.  I have multi-colored markers for kids to draw pictures on the spot.  I have a video camera to shoot recorded messages to our boys.  I have a still camera & signs that say "God Bless You All", America "hearts" You", "Happy Thanksgiving Heroes", & just plain "Thank You."  that people can hold up in front of them while they get their picture taken.  I have AnySoldiers business cards & contact information. I have a "tip jar" in case they want to make $$ contributions.  My husband is making 2 wooden stands to hold the two American flags I got to put on the table, as I write this.  So at the end of the day I will have letters, photos, videos, & money...all for our guys.  I am sooooooo excited!!  And as if this weren't enough, a reporter from our local paper is writing an article about me & our guys.  She's sending a photographer to CC.  Hopefully all this will be enough to at least kick start AWARENESS of our guys & prompt my community to finally step up to the cause.  Keep your fingers, toes, & anything else you can cross that everything will go as well as I hope it will.

Love to all!!

PS..could someone share this with 6/4...I just don't have time to do it.  Thanks!!

WOW Ann for a recent convert to junkieism (I made that one up) you are doing great.  The guys are gonna love it.  May I make one suggestion if you could add one more thing to your list?   Not being a CC shopper I'm not sure what all they carry, but they should have some things helpful to our guys.  Maybe you could make a short list to hand out to people of something they could buy right there and bring back to your table, or if you're in a multi store area, an expanded list.  Flash Drives, batteries, portable DVD player, DVD's, PSPor XBox games?  who knows what you might get.     I love the signs w/ pics idea.

Anita

Hi Amy, no package is 'meager' when it's filled with love, the guys already know that!   And no one gets too many 'hugs'.

Where did you find the holiday marshmallows?      Anita

Just a quick update on the fleece blankets, some soldiers are per special request, some are from a list we have sent to before. Any suggestions are welcome....       

I sent 12 fleece blankets to Joshua Adams on 10/25/08

Hi Anita.  Gee, I wish I'd seen this sooner...I never thought of that, but then I WAS rushing.  But hey, I can do it next time.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Since we're on the subject, here's my after-action report.

The fundraiser was a rousing success!!  I got 2 of the four banners filled up with messages.  I got 4 personal letters. I got several pictures (I put out a bowl of candy that of course drew the attention of the kids.  But they couldn't have a piece until they drew a picture.)  Several AS cards were handed out, I got asked if I would bring my camera & posters to a lady's church kids group (I said yes), and another lady who works for a big law firm in DC wants to lend support.  Cash collected was $69.    I got several photos done, to include a good one of Jeff, the store manager, along with several employees with one of the signed banners stretched out.  I have an open invitation to come back anytime I want!  As soon as I get some rest, I'll post a link where you can go to see the photos.  The interview with the reporter from the newspaper went very well & he took a ton of photos.  The article will appear in Monday's paper.  Matt did a great job as the door greeter, sending folks over to me at the table as well as working with the kids.  This is especially important to note since he experienced a very traumatic event on our way to CC.

We were on our way to CC on the interstate, Matt was driving.  All of a sudden I heard a whiz sound that got my attention.  I asked him what the heck THAT was.  He said it was a motorcycle rider going like a bat outta hell.  He was looking in the side mirror & all of a sudden he screamed out.  The guy on the bike crashed into the back end of an 18 wheeler. We later found out that he was running from the cops & that he hit that truck at about 140 mph!  Anyway, I told him to cross over the median & head for the scene of the crash.  Both of us being medics, it was just natural instinct.  I won't go into the gorey details...it was pretty gruesome, & the outcome as you would expect.  We did all we could do for the young man and I was so very proud of my son.  We both went into auto-pilot, doing what we could which was extremely limited since we didn't have the necessary equipement.  Everything I asked Matt to do, he responded perfectly without hesitation & remained profession throughout.  When it was all done & we were released from the scene, his adrenalin started to dissipate & the shock of it all hit him all at once.  Do you know how hard it is to watch your 6'3" grown son sob like a baby & tremble from head to toe?  But I stayed in my medic mode, rather than go into my Mom mode.  At that time, he didn't need a Mom...he needed an experienced collegue.  This was his first traumatic death.  I assured him that his reaction was completely normal & that as soon as his brain could process it alll, he would be ok.  Frankly, I'm glad we had the fundraiser to do because it gave him something else to focus on...something positive.  We talked about it all on our way home.  I will continue to encourage him to talk about it, & will be on the look out for nightmares, etc.  But I THINK he's gonna recover from it ok.  So once again, unbeknownst to them, our boys are helping someone in need.  Matt having something so positive & so important to focus on following such an extreme situation was a God send.  I can't help but compare this situation to what our medics face...& I mentioned that to Matt.  It seemed to help him calm down & put things into perspective.  Hmmm...I wonder if it would be out of line or asking too much if I were to relay this to Capt. Brewer & request him to send Matt a note of encouragement.  I know it would mean the world to him.  Hmmm.  What do ya'll think?  Anyway, we're both gonna have to go to the ER in the morning to get checked out because neither of us were wearing gloves so we had blood all over our hands.  I had to sacrifice my brand new jacket in order to have SOMETHING to help stop bleeding to the young man's head.  But it's all part of the process.

So even though this day had a tragic beginning, the final outcome was nothing but positive.  We also celebrated Matt's birthday with a family dinner & presents.  He was fairly relaxed through it all & was especially pleased with his gifts...an xbox & games to go with it.  Anyway, I just wanted ya'll to know that I have a hero in my midst & I'm so proud that he happens to be my son.

 I don't know if I would mention it to Capt. Brewer.  We aren't supposed to burden them with our problems.  Maybe you could find someone more local to help.  We think of contacts as friends, and sometimes it is hard to remember that they are in the middle of a war and see much more than they thought that they ever would.  I feel for your son and am thankful that he was ready to jump in.  This is just my opinion gathered from many supporters over time.

Very good point, Vicki...thank you.  I suppose I wasn't thinking it through...tired I guess.  But that's why I asked for input...always good to get a couple of other perspectives.

Another questions, on a better note.  Do ya'll think it would be ok to make photo copies of the pictures & notes I collected yesterday so that they can be shared with all 3 outposts?  The kids pictures, especially.

Ok, I need some java & breakfast...I'm starving! LOL

Again Vickie, thank you for a clearer thought.

 Anita..sorry I didn't see this post.

 I found the holiday marshmellows  at our local grocery store, a special display  in an aisle far from the other marshmellows...it was in teh frozen food section! They were cute..shaped like trees and bells and I think snowmen.I didn't look too closely or I knew where they'd end up <BG>

 They were pink and green.....an attractive extra.

If you'd like I can check to see if they still have some and send them to you.

  Cheers

  Amy

cwmom98 and Matt Hello

Congratulations on your fundraiser. Your story may help others to build up their courage to do a fundraiser.

I am glad your son was able to cry as it is a great stress release. This being his first death as a attendant, it is very good you were there with him.

Be sure to remind him if it comes up in discussion, that even though you weren't able to make a difference in the material outcome. Your being there for the young man for the last few minutes of his life, may have been a comfort to him or those present. 

Good job on the fundraiser. Please get some rubber gloves in those vehicles of yours, door