Hi, Fellow Junkies!

What a great group of people!  Great ideas...and more than a few laughs! 

I, also, have been looking for clearance blankets, flannel sheets, slipper sox, etc.  This always creates an opportunity to talk about AS and how to help our military men and women.  Before I make it to the checkout, at least one or two have asked WHY would you buy wool blankets in the summer?   I'm also stocking up on coffee, instant cocoa, both sizes of marshmallows...I have wood skewers in my cabinet so will send those along.  Great idea.  Thanks.

Last winter, we ordered handwarmers from Campmor, along with fuel stick refills.  The Marines loved them!  We also found boxes of disposable handwarmer packets at Sam's Club.  My contact's wife said they preferred the ones with refills, as they lasted longer.  (Solid fuel handwarmer No. 23225-A  $3.80/Fuel refills No. 21227-A  $1.99/10 sticks at www.campmor.com.  I would suggest sending insured if you're sending a large quantity and if your unit is able to pick up insured pkgs...suggestion from a previous contact.  Unfortunately, many units needing these are at remote locations and unable to pick up insured mail.)

I have cases of Progresso Soups waiting in the garage, as well as chili.  And yes, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE! 

Brenda

 

Don't forget insulated coffee mugs.

Reta

I've been checking on the hand warmers...is there a preference as to the type of hand warmer they use? 

I saw a box of the disposable hand warmers at Walgreens and then there are the kind with the solid fuel. This is all new to me so any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!!

 

p.s. I received a thank you e-mail from a soldier outside of Baghdad the other day. I was shocked to get a reply and even more surprised that the package I mailed his unit made it from CA to Iraq in six days!  He was in the first unit I sponsored.   

 

I am happy for you inkydigits, it is always such a wonderful feeling to hear back from our adopted soldiers. 6 days does seem like a short amount of time.

Hi, inkydigits,

Yes, it's great to receive those thank you e-mails!  My last box to a location close to Baghdad was mailed on Friday morning and received by Tuesday afternoon.  Can't get mail from Dallas to Tulsa that quickly...LOL. 

Re the handwarmers, I posted about the solid fuel type yesterday that you can order from www.campmor.com.   See the post above.  The Marines I sent them to liked those since they could carry the handwarmer plus 10 refill sticks.  We did find that if you plan to order large quantities, you might want to order early.  They were on back order once when I tried to reorder.  Also, you can get the packet type from Sam's Club although they are not yet in stock.  They are boxed (I think 24 ea.) and shrink wrapped.  Great for shipping inside a priority mail box with other supplies. 

Hope this helps. 

Brenda

Hi Brenda,

I looked at campmor and it appears that it is one for $3.80 or is it a pair?  The refills are certainly cheaper.

Thanks for the lead.

 

I have a newbie question...when does it start freezing everyone's fanny's off in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan? I am figuring Afghanistan is sooner since higher elevations? Just wondering so I can gauge when to start shooting over the winter stuff!

Our kids were questioning how the soldiers heat the tents during the winter...not at all or are they allowed space heaters? I would think the tents would really be a pain in the frozen patoot in the winter.   

Mustanglover Hello!

My daughter had a electric heater and it or the wall socket burned out in the middle of winter. It took a few days to locate a replacement and they were very cold while waiting.

One contact had a torn tent in the winter and only one blanket per person she got very ill burning a fever and it turned into pneumonia. She got terribly sick for quite a while.

I have seen 82nd airborne asking for extra blankets and pillows in the mountains of Afghanistan. If you see the brown wooly worms (I have heard them called wooly bear worms depending where you are from) crossing the road it is time to send blankets to the Afghanistan mountians. Keep on keeping on....   door

MustangLover,

I haven't even heard if it gets extremely cold in Kuwait in general - maybe just a cold spell now and then, but probably some cold nights. 

In my opinion, it can't hurt to start buying blankets for shipping in September to Afghanistan because they seem to get colder faster and cooler all the time generally at night.  In parts of Iraq (north), it starts getting cool at night pretty early, but not during the day.  Of course, we have to remember that when the temps drop off to 60 deg. there after having such a hot summer, they feel like they are freezing from the stories I have read, and start pulling out fleece jackets.

In some areas of southern and central Iraq, the only really cold temps are from Dec.-Feb., about 2 - 2 1/2 months, and a lot of that is just mostly at night.

I believe we should concentrate on Afghanistan and northern Iraq for the earliest nighttime warming things:  blankets, throws, slippers, hot chocolate, coffee, wool socks, hats (the socks and hats especially for the night watch).  If your unit is supposed to be there during most of the winter, it wouldn't hurt to send pretty early to those areas for nights.  You can add more things a little later for the really cold times.

I don't remember if anyone mentioned it, but there were a number of requests for sweatsuits last winter - even the hospitals, and sleep pants.

Gran

Hi, VickiV,

It's $3.80 for one.  They're fiberglass and come inside a flannel liner, I believe.  Reusable so I think they're more expensive initially, but they are cheaper in the long run.  Also, they provide warmth for a longer period of time. 

Last year, I was told by one of the phone reps at Campmor that if we wanted to order "quantity" (he never said how many that would be), he would put me in touch with the manufacturer.  I had told him where we were sending them, and he felt they MIGHT sell to us directly at wholesale.  I was a newbie last November so didn't follow up on that one.  I will try to contact the manufacturer's rep. and ask if they can do anything for us.  I'll let everyone know. 

I noticed on the Zippo website (looking for lighters to send with cigars) that they now have a metal handwarmer which uses the Zippo fluid, which is readily available over there...per our forum C-gar Expert.  They are expensive though!  I think perhaps $20+...don't remember exactly.  Guess that would be great if we win the lottery LOL!   I believe they are also engraveable.

p.s. Mary and Carlos, I sent you PM's.  Don't know if you got them.  Did I do it right LOL?

Brenda

OK, all you who think you're not crafty, please don't get scared by this idea, it's very very simple (my 5 year old made one!)

 I don't know if you've ever seen one but it's basically two pieces of fleece tied together.  Makes a very warm and cozy blanket.  The fabric stores sell fleece (it's about 7 dollars a yard but the width is usually 58-60" wide not the usual 43").  I know Joann's sell kits (with all instructions) for about $20.00 (they're on sale now with free shipping after $35.00.  I think it would be fun just to send the unfinished kit to them and it would give them something to do also.  Trust me, they are VERY easy to do.  Just be sure to send scissors and ruler and sharpie along because you do have some cutting to do. 

Or, if you're up to it.....Just get a single piece of fleece and sew a blanket stitch (or find somebody with a serger) around the edge to finish it off and make it yourself.  Both are very easy to do.

http://www.joann.com/joann/search/search_results.jsp?CATID=cat1002&keywords=fleece&_requestid=251881 

 

Or you could back the fleece with flannel (once again, very cozy).  

Or you could make a tied quilt.

All the ideas should cost around $25.00 if you shop carefully.

You could google for both instructions (new sew fleece and how to blanket stitch). PM me if you have any questions.

Hope I didn't scare you too much!!!

OK, I have another project for you all to try:

http://www.thegatorproject.org/

The Gator project makes fleece neck warmers for the troops.  Instructions are included on the website.  Once again, very easy but you do need a sewing machine or serger to complete.  I'm sure if you don't have a sewing maching, you could find somebody who does.  Everybody loves a good cause, especially sewers!  If you have a local quilting club in your area, contact them, I'm sure they'd be willing to help or at least, help you find somebody who could.

 I found another website that says they have easier instructions:

http://www.singforpeace.com/warmers.html

There was a reminder from Mary on another thread about polyester melting to the skin if there's a fire.  I am going to contact the gator project to remind them of this so they can include this on their website.  They make no mention of this.  From what I understand, fleece has polyester in it.  Maybe they have suggestions on brands that maybe made fleece without polyester, if it's even manufactured that way.

There are sweats that are made of 100% cotton fleece.  I have been online trying to find it, but so far no luck.  It might have to be special ordered. 

VickiV 

 

Wool is much better than cotton for winter wear (or in fluctuating temperatures) because it retains it's insulating properties when wet.