How Can We Show Support To Our Troops?

[Born to be Wild]

What can we do to show our united support and show our appreciation for our troops and their families that are going through this most difficult time? Someone a while back came up with the Idea on the ifish community thread to send some smoked salmon. Problems arose.

Can we all get together and send them a thoughtful letter from ifisher's? Or perhaps a thoughtful thread dedicated to them and their families? Maybe an URL for an ifish thread dedicated to them and their families?

I would think something like that would be more meaningful to them than smoked salmon and besides there would be enough to go around where as there wouldn't be with fish and it would last longer.

Come on Geek, you're always resourceful! And it seems all of you support the troops.

Let’s do something of comfort and appreciation to these men and women.

Dan

[Jennie@ifish]

I was thinking about this last night.
They need baby wipes.
What is the address to help out?
I'd love to get ifishers to get together and do something, AND promise Oregon Troops we will take them out fishing when they return home.

Jen

[The Fishing Geek]

Many of these troops left little kids behind, who are now in families who are making HUGE financial cutbacks while Mama/Papa are not making the money that they used to. Toy drive?

[Straydog]

Take a kid fishing/free fishing day is coming up this spring. How about a "Take a Soldiers Kid Fishing" offshoot of this?

I will help with tackle and/or prizes.

[jdbrightfish]

I HAVE AN ADDRESS THAT WE CAN SEND THINGS TO AND WHAT THEY NEED OVER THERE .SEND THEM HERE
MAJOR BEN WELCH
485 AEW/105EAS
APOE09364

RECOMMENEDED ITEMSINCLUDE:
TOILET PAPER
BABY WIPES OFF BUG REPELLENT
SUNSCREEN45-50SPF
DISPOSAABLE RAZORS
TOOTHBRUSHES/TOOTHPASTE
SUNGLASSES LIP BALM (WITH SUNSCREEN)LOTS OF IT
SEWING KITS
COTTON SWABS
PLAYING CARDS&BOARD GAMES
STATIONERY&JOURNALS
CROSSWORD PUZZLES BOOKS
PREPAID CALLING CARDS
DISPOSABLE CAMERAS
SMALLFOOTBALLS OR SOFTBALLS

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IN YOUR PACKAGE OR (BUSINESS CARDS)AND WHO KNOW YOU MAY RECEIVE THANK YOU NOTE FROM A TRUE AMERICAN HERO

[img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[Airborne]

I will provide an address for the unit that is from our local metro area as soon as I get an exact location, some of these guys you may even know since they are all local boys. the unit is the 1st BN of the 162nd Infantry which is Headquarted in Forest Grove but has units all over the Washington County area. They are all Infantry Combat Soldiers in this unit. Lets wish them all God Speed and a quick return.

[Born to be Wild]

Geek,

I like your Idea of a toy drive. For those of us that would want to donate toys, smoked salmon, etc, could we ship them to you and you deliver them to the armed forces on behalf of ifisher's?

Straydogie,

Take a kid fishing/free fishing day is coming up this spring. How about a "Take a Soldiers Kid Fishing" offshoot of this?

I will help with tackle and/or prizes.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I think this is a great Idea also. Free fishing day is June 7th & 8th. This is a long ways off and there parents will hopefully be home by then. Kids under the age of 14 don't need a license I think.

I would be willing to donate some tackle also. I have two Okuma spinning combo's I would donate and some terminal tackle. I could talk to Randy the Okuma rep and see if they were interested in donating also. If some of these kids lived at or had transportation to the coast I could see if one of the charter boats would be willing to donate a free trip. That would have to be on a week day though. If it were local kids (coast), I could put the seats in my van and donate time and transportation. (Give me an excuse to go fishing again).

I think you and Geek should persue this and start a thread.

I could clear out my website or someone else dedicate a website for ifisher's to post letters of support and then give the URL for it to the armed forces to pass on to their families. Maybe or possibly even get the URL to the armed forces or reporters over there in Iraq or Kuwait?

[kong]

If anyone wants to send goodies to 130 Oregon Reserve Marines from Engineer Co. A from Eugene who deployed to Iraq last January, the list posted earlier is a good reference and try to keep the packages small they move 3-4 faster than large boxes which go by ship to the troops overseas. Small parcels and packages get over there in 7-12 days. Please send goodies to First Sgt. Mike Barnhill USMC at 7th ESB, Delta Company, UIC 42335, FPO AP 96426-2335 and he will distribute your goodies to the Oregon Marines fighting with 1 MEF south of Baghdad! Semper Fi!