My son’s teacher heads up this great cause and I wanted to make you all aware of it. This is the letter she sends home at the beginning of her classes:
My name is Jacky and I am an early education instructor with the Oak Lawn Park District. I started mailing boxes when one of my student’s only parent was sent to Iraq. Now, boxes go out weekly to each soldier on my list who shares the boxes with their units. I know first hand from the soldiers who return stateside that these boxes mean so much more than their contents; they mean people care. The families back home also appreciate the moral booster their loved ons are receiving each time a box arrives. These boxes may be small, but they are mighty with support and positive thinking to bring our soldiers safely home. All my soldiers have relatives, friends who live in Oak Lawn, or are residents of Oak Lawn. It is a local support of our community. Below are item lists of some of the things that have been sent out since March 2003:
Shampoo
Baby Wipes
Toothpaste
Hard Candy
Juice boxes
Snack food
Lip Balm
Combs
Sunscreen
Gum
Tylenol
Food Bars
Toilet Paper
Foot Powder
Small botthle of hand “no water” soap sanitizier
Band Aides
Canisters of presweetened Kool-Aid, Tea, and Lemonade
Mouthwash
User Paperback books
Toothpaste samples or floss
Sunday Comics
Extra condiment packets (sugar, ketchup)
Toothbrushes
Children’s drawings
Extra item in a pack (example: 6th gum free in a 5 pack)
Encouraging letters
Hotel shoe shine kits
Hotel small shampoo
Hotel small soap
Hotel small lotion
Hotel sewing kits
Hotel small conditioner
Hotel small mouth wash
As you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to help the soldiers out. We donate things every week and it doesn’t cost me a cent extra from what we already do. Also, she will take ANY leftover Halloween candy you have!!!
They will also take any donated stamps or funds for stamps. Items and postage can be dropped off at (or mailed to) Oak View Center, 4625 West 110th St., Oak Lawn IL 60453. I’d just put a little note on there that it’s for the soldiers.
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Cool – I'm glad to have all the information! I brought the shampoo and conditioners home from Orlando and will p/u everything I can in NY too then mail a box to the address above.
What a caring person/teacher!
Thanks Heather! It's such a good thing she does that I like to promote it when I can.
wow that was really good of you.. makes me wanna help the soldiers too.
didn't know someone cane be so caring.. may god return your good deeds in a thousand folds..
keep it up! 😉
Great list, Lisa, and thanks SO much to you and the teacher for getting behind this project!
About the only thing I would add are some details on snack food: Beef jerky (make sure you don't send items with pork products) is popular, and Pringles tend to ship well, and trail mix is popular, too. Instant coffee, with sugar and creamer, are popular items.
Small toys – the Happy Meal stuff I usually sneak into the garbage when my kids aren't looking either – also are good. The soldiers like to hand them out to the local children.
Whatever anyone sends, though, is greatly appreciated!
I forgot to give you my toiletries from Izeafest, but I still have a ton of Disney soaps, shampoos, etc. I'm going to bookmark this page and get them shipped after our trip.
A good cause. There are many organized groups doing these types of things. The boxes are certainly well received.
There are many ways people can show their support, regardless of one's political opinion about why or how the war started in the first place.
I knit and crochet and belong to 2 groups that make baby items and these baby items are distributed among military hospitals, given as gifts when babies are born while daddy's deployed. Caps, booties, blankets, sweater sets etc. It's a small way to say thanks and let them know people care.
Additionally, there's another group I participate in that knits and crochets rectangles, which are collected and pieced together. These are also distributed among military hospitals and given to injured service men and women. It again is a way to say thanks, people care, and to wish them well in their recovery. It gives them hope. Many are so severely injured they need encouragement. Several thousand ghans have been made and donated.
And, the saddest of all. I recently found a group and have just joined that makes 12 inch granny squares (all red, white and blue)which are joined to make an afghan and given to those families who've lost someone in service of their country. This group has been doing this for 4 years and has made and donated over 700 such ghans to help people with their grieve.
So keep doing what you're doing, the needs are great and we can all help in some manner.
Sandy
wow that was really gr8.Its makes me – I wanna help the soldiers too.
We all love our soldiers. So, we should help them. Gr8 articles.
We need to support our soldiers indeed and i admit our family members always do their best to help the soldiers with a penny. This will our monthly activities for our family members, we can't help with our power but this is how we help them. With funds. Let's support the soldiers!
Great list, Lisa, and thanks SO much to you and the teacher for getting behind this project!