News & Columns > Dave Henderson > Deployed - Adopt a Box for the Holidays

Deployed - Adopt a Box for the Holidays

Support TOUCH OF HOME and Support Our Troops

By Dave Henderson
Thursday, September 24, 2009

For those who have not been there and experienced it, it's very difficult to understand. You have been in this hole in the ground for hours lying in the mud. The rain has been falling for hours and even though you are wearing rain gear, you are soaked to the bone cold and shivering. When they get around to delivering hot food, you take your mess kit up to get your chow where you stand in line at the prescribed 5 meter intervals. Once you receive your allotment of food, before you can get back to your position to eat, your mashed potatoes are swimming in rain water and your once hot meal is cold. The coming night fall will only bring light catnaps as you trade off watch at your observation post.

(Photo by US Army.)

For our troops who are deployed life can be measured in extremes. Extreme heat and cold. Their day can swing from boredom to shear terror in seconds. They can be awake for 20 or more hours at a time and they learn to sleep anywhere at anytime even standing, but even that is nothing more then a catnap. They are always with people and even the most basic privacy can be non-existent. They live in conditions that are unimaginable to the average person. The one thing that all deployed military look forward to is mail call. Being deployed can be a very lonely experience. The letter from home, family, significant other, a news paper from home, does make a difference in their existence. And, getting a box of homemade cookies wrapped in popcorn from Mom. After the cookies are gone the stale popcorn is even consumed and shared with their buddies.

When the holiday season comes along, their military family tries to make it seem like a holiday. Holiday meals are served and all but the fact that they are away from home and family is ever present; thoughts and memories of past holiday celebrations, wondering what your family is doing. Once again the one thing that makes a difference is mail call. To not receive a letter or package can be demoralizing, but they think, well maybe tomorrow. Some of our troops don't have the family network at home and mail call is always depressing for them, they never receive a letter or package from home.

You can make a difference in the life of a Soldier, Marine, Airman or Sailor. You can make mail call something they will remember. Just ask any Vet how important this can be to a deployed solider.

The letters and pictures keep coming to Touch of Home from deployed troops after they receive care packages from the non-profit organization. Touch of Home needs contributions now to help pay for postage costs. (Photo by Touch of Home.)

TOUCH OF HOME - "ADOPT A HOLIDAY BOX FOR OUR HEROES"

Touch of Home is holding an "Adopt a Box" drive to support our troops.

BOXES MUST BE RECEIVED BY NOVEMBER 9

Touch of Home would appreciate delivery of your completed boxes ASAP, so they can process them. Touch of Home will check boxes, add their own letter, and mail the boxes.

The boxes are available free at the Post Office. Ask for a large "Flat Rate" APO Military Box.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CONTENTS

• Holiday Decorations: ("Dollar Tree" or "99 Only" are good sources for SMALL decorations)
• Individually Wrapped Hard Candy
• Family Letter To Your Hero (They will write or email back if they can.)
• Music CDs, DVD'S, Sports Magazines, Car Magazines
• Beef Jerky, Tuna & Chicken In Pull Top Cans,
• Snacks in Individual Serving Size Bags, Microwave Popcorn
• Heat & Eat Food Items With Pull Top Lids (cups of spaghetti, soups)
• Tooth Brush, Small Tooth Paste, Personal Care Items
• Baby Wipes, Foot Powder, Chap Sticks, Deodorant Sticks
• Dice, Travel Games, Decks of Playing Cards
• Paper Game Books, Sewing Kits (small)

Please Do Not send ANY AEROSOL CONTAINERS, or ANY FLAMMABLE ITEMS. Sorry, NO homemade food items. No warehouse size items. When done, lightly tape the box shut.

RIMOFTHEWORLD.net asks its readers, if possible, to include a check, made out to "TOUCH OF HOME", for postage. $12 will mail your box. If you would like a tax deductible receipt for box contents, include the amount in a note with the check and Touch of Home will send you one.

For less then $20 you can make a difference in the life of a deployed solider this holiday season.

During October RIMOFTHEWORLD.net will run a series of articles to inform everyone where they can pick up and drop off boxes.

Please Help TOUCH OF HOME support our troops.

This article was first published on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 12:44 pm. This article has been viewed 1143 times.

Dave Henderson is the Vice-President of Operations for RIMOFTHEWORLD.net and it's parent company Vicinitas, LLC. Dave is the commercial and operational manager for the site.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RIMOFTHEWORLD.net. This column is copyrighted by Dave Henderson.