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#145430 Oct 25th, 2007 at 10:00 AM
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hisgal2 Offline OP
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Hello everyone!

Christmas is just around the corner and with it comes thoughts of the many men and women serving our country overseas. I've started a new project called "Operation Christmas Soldier". My mother-in-law and I are collecting Christmas cards from our community and will be sending them to soldiers who are overseas. Some local businesses have let us put collection boxes in their stores so that local people can drop the cards into them making it easier for us to gather them all together. I'm extending the opportunity to send cards to soldiers to you, my online family.

Here are the details:
1) There is no limit to the amount of cards you can donate
2) Cards should be signed by you and/or family (kids too!)
3) You can put a little note in the card if you would like
4) Return address area of envelope can be filled out with your information if you would like.
5) Address area of envelope MUST remain blank
6) Deadline for donating cards is December 1st (so that we have plenty of time to "divvy" up the cards for particular groups of troops)
7) Cards being donated should be sent to my address

We will split the all of the cards we receive into small packages...one package for each group we've picked out. There will be enough cards in each package so that each soldier in the group gets a card. This year, we are focusing on groups that are in desolate areas or who may not have gotten many letters over the year.

In addition to cards, we are sending small care packages to two specific groups of soldiers who are working with children in a school and in a hospital. If you are interested in details for this, please contact me via PM.

If you have any questions, please ask them in this thread. If you need my address, please PM me....I might miss your request if you post it in this thread.

So, there it is in a nutshell....Operation Christmas Soldier. My goal is 500 cards to be sent this year.

Thanks to all of you,
Jenn


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hisgal2 #145432 Oct 25th, 2007 at 10:04 AM
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This is a wonderful idea Jenn! I will definitely send some cards to you! I believe I have your address already but if not I will PM you!

#145466 Oct 25th, 2007 at 12:24 PM
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Good question. I didn't think about that.

#145468 Oct 25th, 2007 at 12:35 PM
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I think i am in too--I will ask DH is opinion tonight---and yes, I too wonder about the postage???


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if jenn doesn't answer before i check with the local army base, i'll let you know what i find out. i know that before, any soldier in a war zone was exempt from paying postage to or from. but that was when my brother was there last time. at the beginning.

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i was thinking mail a bunch of them inside a single bubble envelope [with the stamps inside] to jenn... idea why


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hisgal2 Offline OP
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No postage is needed. After I divide the cards up for each group, they will get put into a larger envelope and will be mailed that way.

Like Mark said, you can put a whole bunch inside of a larger envelope and just send them to me that way.......no stamps needed on the individual envelopes...just on the really big one you send to me.

Sorry I didn't get back to this thread earlier, I had to run "downtown" (an hour away) and just now got home and got Maddie to bed.

Last edited by hisgal2; Oct 25th, 2007 at 07:57 PM.

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#145602 Oct 25th, 2007 at 08:56 PM
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hisgal2 Offline OP
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exactly!!! LOL!! I just pulled out my extra cards from the last 3 years (yes, I save those!!) and I need to start filling them out and putting little notes in them. I'm thinking about putting in a picture of the three of us...what do you think about that?


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#146688 Oct 28th, 2007 at 09:18 PM
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Cindy, how about adding a picture of some of the lovely views at Cedar Hill---any part of it, in any season, would be a welcomed site, i am sure---


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That's a great idea!!! ....or even a picture of Lola. Does Lola write with a pen or pencil or crayon? You could let her "sign" you cards too and then stick a picture of her in the card. I bet they'd get a kick out of that!


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hisgal2 #146746 Oct 29th, 2007 at 10:35 AM
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I'm sure the soldiers would love pics of CH. How about pics from all over the country, too? A kind of 'gardens from home' thing. That way no matter where the soldiers are from they could see something from close to home they could connect with. GH members could put pics together from their gardens all over the country. I'm sure the soldiers would appreciate pics from our members in other countries as well. They would love to know they have everyone's support.


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rachelp #147102 Oct 29th, 2007 at 08:32 PM
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Rachel what a wonderful idea---I am sure we all have a picture or 2 we like & could copy to put inside our cards---


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well as usual, i am just finding this! egad i would love to do this too for our men and women over there! what a fantastic idea! clap


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up!


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hisgal2 #149841 Nov 8th, 2007 at 01:51 PM
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I'm very excited! We talked to the newspaper last week and gave them information for the project. Our local newspaper comes out once a week.....and today it had an article about Operation Christmas Soldier ON THE FRONT PAGE!!!!! I am soooo excited!!! Also, the local Girl Scout troops have asked for our information letter so that they can participate in the project also! Yay!!!


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hisgal2 #151221 Nov 13th, 2007 at 02:38 PM
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It has come to my attention that some news broadcasts are mentioning deadlines for Christmas packages and envelopes to go to Iraq. If you see a report that has a different deadline than what I mentioned, please do not be alarmed. The cards will get to the soldiers on time. Deadlines for APO's with the west coast zip codes are different than the deadlines for the APO's that are sent from the east coast. All of the addresses that I have so far are all being sent from the east coast APO zip codes, so having the cards get to me by December 1st is plenty of time to get them divided into the groups and sent on their way. Just wanted to let everyone know. :)


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#151240 Nov 13th, 2007 at 03:39 PM
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Cool! I can't wait! I'm hoping to send Stephen out to the next town over to pick up what cards have been donated there (there is a collection box at the bank in that town) and I will stop at the bank here in our town on my way to Maddie's dr appt and pick cards up from there. Also, someone called today to ask about donating some gently used beanie babies for a care package that is going to a group of soldiers who work with children in a hospital. heehee!!!


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hisgal2 #151328 Nov 13th, 2007 at 08:46 PM
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Jenn--I have my cards done, but I won't get them in the mail to you until tomorrow--my mail goes out at 4:30pm central time.


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i bought my cards, just haven't done them yet.

#151465 Nov 14th, 2007 at 10:23 AM
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hisgal2 Offline OP
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Jiffy, I haven't gotten mine done yet either! LOL I have a stack of them sitting next to my computer, but I've been soo busy lately that I haven't had a chance to do any of them!


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Originally Posted by JunieGirl

Jenn--I have my cards done, but I won't get them in the mail to you until tomorrow--my mail goes out at 4:30pm central time.


Mine went out in the mail today--hey guys---be sure to ask your postmasters which way it is least ecpensive to send your cards to Jenn-

My Postmaster does it automatically for me because we talk alot about sending packages as she & I both have kids in college who we frequently send care packages to.

it seems that it was cheaper to send my cards to Jenn priority mail than the regular slow mail---go figure--less money & better service--my PM said it had to do with what weight they were. But whatever--it does not hurt to ask, now does it??


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#155600 Nov 27th, 2007 at 02:50 PM
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Wanted to let Bill and Cindy know I got their envelope today. thanks!!!

Also, wanted to give everyone an update on the program. As of today we have 331 cards for the soldiers and a bunch of goodies for a group of soldiers who are pretty much out in the wilderness all the time and then school supplies and toys for 2 groups of soldiers who work with kids at a school and at a hospital. I am just sooooo pleased with the amount of support that this program has gotten! I can't wait to see our final numbers!


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hisgal2 #157867 Dec 2nd, 2007 at 10:44 PM
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We surpassed 500 cards! I'm soo happy! I boxed up most of the toys and school supplies that were donated for the children and I am still dividing the cards up. I took pictures of everthing, but I'm too tired to post them now...I'll do that first thing after I get up tomorrow (mind you I don't usually get out of bed until at least 10!)


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hisgal2 #157900 Dec 3rd, 2007 at 06:04 AM
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Originally Posted by hisgal2
We surpassed 500 cards! I'm soo happy! I took pictures of everthing, but I'm too tired to post them now...I'll do that first thing after I get up tomorrow


I am so glad we could help you reach your goal!!!

now, I can't wait to see the pictures !!!


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I'm sorry I didn't get the pictures posted today....it was a really bad day. I'll work on that right now.


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hisgal2 #158181 Dec 3rd, 2007 at 10:29 PM
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Ok, here is a picture I took of everything. To the right of the cards are school supplies and to the back and left of them are toys for children. To the left of the stuffed animals are some food items also being sent.

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#158666 Dec 5th, 2007 at 04:52 PM
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Well, it looks like we are going to FAR exceed our goal with cards. Yesterday Darnyl (Stephen's mom) came home with two boxes full of cards that came to the collection places late and then I got another box full of cards in the mail. THEN just a little while ago, I got a phone call from a lady saying that with all of the snow she hadn't been able to make it up the mountain, but she had to come up tonight because he kid had a wrestling match. She is dropping off a "hundred or so" cards at a friends house and I will pick them up tomorrow. Heehee!! I can't wait to see them all! I will, of course, take pictures of all of the large envelopes once I am done sorting and dividing all of the cards. I can't wait until next year to do this again!!!! Although, I think I will give people more than a month to get them in. lol


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hisgal2 #158725 Dec 5th, 2007 at 07:29 PM
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wow! that's great jenn. i'm sorry i didn't get mine in.


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