Hello!
 I have been reading the posts on this website and realized that many soldiers are asking for stationary or stationary supplies. Does anyone know what they are specifically requesting when they say this? I was thinking: coloured writing paper, post-it notes, pens, stickers, envelopes, etc. Please let me know!

~libbreje

I think they like just about anythng, the guys are pretty much pens, writing paper and envelopes. The ladies seem to like pretty stationary, colored pens and stickers. 

The other thing I like to send are different cards, Birthday's, thinking of you, holiday's ect.. so they can send them back to their families, cards are always well received.

Lisa

What I see asked for the most are misc. greeting cards, writing paper (notebook paper or stationery type), envelopes, postcards, and small spiral notebooks that will fit in a pocket for writing notes.  One male Marine told me he was using foo-foo paper sent to him.  It was light blue with a rag (torn look) edge.  I got a kick out of that foo-foo description.  I've found the best deals on blank notecards at Michael's Craft Stores where they have 10 notecards for $1, sometimes less on sale.

Some troops are scrap booking so any accessories for that like stickers are good.  Many will make decorations for the holidays so colored paper could be used for writing or decorations.

I have also seen many requests for journals.  The pen that seems to work the best for them is a black gel  pen specifically Pilot G2.  It has no cap to lose and stands up to the fine sand that is everywhere.

Many troops give school supplies to the local communities and as you know in the US the great deals on school supplies will start this summer.

Thank you for the great ideas! I had never thought of some of that kind of stuff before to send; now I know!

Hi LisaJan,

You are so right about the cards. Back in 2004  when I was sending alot of boxes and things, I sent Christmas Cards and envelopes by the FRB full. I could pack 400 cards and envelopes into the boxes and I also sent in the priority mail envelopes also I could get 100 in them A store here in Cleveland called Marc's had the cards for a buck a box and of course I had to buy 20 boxes each time I went there for a total of about 3,000 cards I sent over that year. They had some looney tunes ones which were great for the guys n gals to send to their children and they had all different kinds. I received quite a few responses telling me how great it was as they didn't have any over there nor could they purchase them at the px. They couldn't believe someone actually thought of doing that. I thought of it as I was making out my cards ( which I do this in October so it's out of the way) and I said I bet they don't have any over there and sure enough I was right. So yes it is nice to send them things like that and they really appreciate it.

Diana

I don't yet know how it went over- but I support a squad of soldiers- I assume they all have the same mailing address as the contact.  I made them up some custom Avery return address labels on my PC.   I left a space at the top where each could write his own name... but the rest of the address is printed with patriotic type pictures off to the side.  I thought anything to make it easier to keep in touch with friends and family would be good.

I don't know the exact name of it (big help from me, right?), but those discount party and greeting card stores have boxes of greeting cards for $1.00 and last week they were only 50 cents.  Yes I have PLENTY.  They're mainly adult or child birthday cards, but that's something anyway.  I like that return address label idea too.  This is such a great place to be.  Thanks for all your great ideas - but I'm still years away from trying carbonated beverages.

Mary

We have been doing pretty good at finding the packages of thank you notes in bargain baskets for $0.25, and they like those.  For the young infantry guys, we often just buy the bundles of ruled tablets of paper that comes in various colors and white and we have gotten replies a lot that looked like they used that very paper to write on.  We can often find the matching sets of paper and envelopes at the Dollar stores for the gals.

Gran

In all of my "first time" boxes, I include a ziplock with a 5.5x8.5 ruled notebook (yellow or white, usually 3 or 4 for $1 at dollar store), 5 envelopes (one addressed to me!), a pen, and a sheet of stickers.

For my repeat soldiers, I try to include a package of notecards or some misc. greeting cards in every package. I'm trying to deplete my own stash of stationery (I've been a stationery addict since I was 8 years old and had my first pen pal!) and of course pick up packs of notecards when I find a great deal. My Mom also let me go through her greeting card stash. Between the two of us, we'll probably have enough stationery to send for the next 100 boxes!

I also got together with a scrapbooking friend one day, and we made a bunch of handmade cards for a couple of my female contacts. They loved them!!! So we're hoping to get a larger group of us together and try to each make a year's set of cards: Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a few birthday and blank cards. It's a bit ambitious, but I think we can do it!

Jenifer

 

The times we ran out of shopping time, we have just grabbed some of the decorative print paper from the Dollar store - really makes cheap stationery, and put in plain envelopes to mail it.

Gran

Oriental Trading Company has 30 sheets with 30 envelopes for $5.  I have sent the birthday, the children's with a rubber ducky ( a soldier sent me a thank you back on it and he penciled in a machine gun for the duck) and the sports themed one which has a basketball, football, baseball and soccer ball down the sides. They're really nice, on large sheets with a blank back for writing on too. It's a really large company so they're rarely out of stock on anything. 

I also buy the larger frisbees - two sizes are available- but they call them "flying discs".

If you sign up for email they periodically send free shipping specials.  I just got one today.

Paula

P.S. - make sure you do not buy their "letterhead" stationary. No envelopes!

All of the letters I have received from my soldiers have been either typed or handwritten on printer paper.  When I mail letters I always add an American flag or a picture of my granddaughter or something interesting at the top of the page - small but still there.  Then I started finding sites with the groups armed services "logo" on it and copies those, printed them on plain paper and sent a bundle off with a box of envelopes (50 long ones for 94 cents to my contacts.  I'll be adding return address labels for them to use and just add their name to them too thanks to the suggestions on this list.

Mary 

Hi everone,

By the time I finish packing a box, there's never enough room for a box of envelopes and a pad of paper so I've started putting as many envelopes in a ziplock baggie and sheets of writing paper in another baggie that will fit and sliding them in between the other items.  I also include a couple of postcards from the AnySoldier site.  I usually include some postcards from my home state.  A lot of the contacts keep boards of pictures and postcards of their supporters and just like to see scenes of the states.

I like that idea of sending greeting cards too.  Looks like I'll have to start checking my local party store for them!

If I can figure out how to print out the units logo, I'll try that one too.

ann

Mary,

I'm with you about the carbonated beverages.  Lightyears away from that.  I agree Sarah's idea for the labels is a wonderful one. 

Sister Barbara

I have stopped sending a lot of stationery to soldiers unless they specifically request it, going on the theory that a lot of them really don't have time to write much.  Now I put in a ziplock with one notecard and envelope addressed to me, plus a couple more for them to send to their families or other supporters.

I have also created my own stationery, for them and for me.  It changes periodically.  Lately I have been using one that has a simple but artifully designed (by some clip-artist) logo of one red, one white, and one blue star.