Troops Holiday Wish List
Soldiers’ Holiday
With the Christmas season upon us, many caring individuals will want to send a care package to a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan. The Veterans’ Service is not packaging and mailing packages to soldiers for Christmas this year. However, we are doing something of a similar caring project as we are sending care packages to soldiers for Iraqi kids. We have all the toys, stuffed animals, pads of paper and crayons that we need and can not store any more.
A recent visitor to my office stated that she wanted a copy of my troop wish list to assist her in knowing what to package for soldiers and to avoid sending anything that would not pass customs since both Iraq and Afghanistan are Muslim Countries and have strict laws on what can be sent in the mails. Thus, I am posting on the town web site, a copy of the troop wish list and the web site to go to for the name and address of soldiers serving in the war zone and hoping for a letter or care package in their stocking. The letter or care package not only is a comfort to the soldiers but gives them support for their mission as they serve their country half way around the world. It is a lonely business!
Now for those who do not use the internet but want the same information, call me on 781-834-5576 and I will send you a soldier’s name and address and a Troop Wish List with issues of concern for anyone sending a package to a soldier. For the Name and Adress of a Soldier serving in Iraq, go to www.anysoldier.com. All of these soldiers have expressed hope to recieve a letter or package for Christmas!
Dick Martin
Veterans’ Officer
OPERATION HOPE
WISH LIST
To cope with the dry, hot climate:
· Lip balm (ChapStick, Blistex, etc.)
· Dry skin lotion
· Sun block (SPF 30+)
· Aloe vera cream
· Hand cream (the dust is so fine that their skin is chapped and cut from blowing dirt)
To take mini-showers (whether on a mission or coping with cold-water-only showers or no showers at all):
· Large baby wipes (soft packs are best)
· Hand sanitizers (Purell)
· Face cleansing pads
· Dental floss
For the rocky terrain and long walking missions:
· Mole skin
· Blister care items
· White, cotton, tube athletic socks
· Foot powder
· Athlete’s foot cream
· Gold Bond powder and cream
· “Hot Hands” and “Hot Feet” packs
For the cold nights and sickness:
· Multi-vitamins
· Vitamin E
· Zinc tablets (Cold-Eeze)
· Vitamin C
· Throat lozenges
· Cough drops
· Tissue packets that can be carried in your pocket
To communicate with loved ones:
· Disposable cameras
· Batteries (AA and AAA)
· Flashlights
· Phone cards
· Pens, stationery, postcards, unused greeting cards
· A journal
For personal comfort:
· Ziplock bags (all sizes, but especially gallon) Dust and dirt get into everything!
· Air fresheners (stick-ups, or the kind that hang in your car)
· Fly swatters
· Mouse traps
· Battery-operated personal fans and fan misters
For fun
· Dominoes, cribbage boards, Trivial Pursuit, other board games
· Velcro dart game for their tents
· Crossword puzzles, word game books
· Nerf football, basketballs, soccer balls, Wiffle ball and bat
· Hand pump for balls
· Hand-held electronic games
· CDs, video tapes (tape a sporting event), and DVDs (Some troops have a tent where there is a VCR and DVD player but a very limited selection of CDs and DVDs.)
· Hobby items, such as a drawing tablet with a box of colored pencils, chalk
To drink
· Crystal Lite
· Instant coffee
· Instant spiced apple cider mix in individual packets, both regular and diet
· Instant hot cocoa mix in individual packets, both regular and diet
· ½ gallon size plastic containers to prepare the drink mixes
To eat
· Doritos, Tostitos
· Pringles
· Potato chip sticks, pretzels
· Fiddle Faddle
· Crackers
· Cheese nips
· Salsa and canned dips (not refrigerated)
· Individual size cheese and crackers and peanut butter and crackers
· Cup of soup, cup of noodles—anything that can be mixed with hot water
· Foil packs of tuna or chicken or pop-top cans of tuna, chicken, and Vienna sausages
· Beef and turkey jerky (Note: No Slim Jims—they contain pork, which is not allowed in a Muslim country.)
· Granola bars
· Pop tarts
· Power bars
· Fruit roll-ups
· Nuts—pistachios in the shells, peanuts, cans of nuts
· Dried fruit
· Flavored instant oatmeal
· Individual prepared servings of fruit and pudding
· Hard candy
· Red licorice
· Gum (used on patrols to keep their mouths moist)
· Starburst candy
· Twinkies
Personal hygiene items:
· Soap
· Toothpaste
· Disposable razors
· Toilet paper
News from home:
· The Sunday funny papers
· The sports section from the paper
· Cards and letters (please do not seal the envelope)
PROHIBITED ITEMS
1. Absolutely no home-baked goods
2. All items must be in their original containers or wrappers
3. No flammable items
4. No cigarettes, cigars, dip, or snuff
5. No whiskey, wine, beer, or spirits of any kind
6. No religious articles, no Bibles
7. No Christian books or magazines, rosaries, etc.
8. No pork of any kind or in any products. Please read the food labels.
9. No fresh fruit or plants
10. No pornography or anything that can be construed as pornographic. (No Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Even paperback books with racy covers or pictures are not allowed.)
PACKAGING
All boxes must weigh less than 25 pounds and fit into a mail bag—that is, measure no larger than 20” x 14” x 12”.
Please put items in a plain brown box, or one with advertising that will not be construed as breaking the rules listed above. (For instance, a liquor box or cigarette box would be unacceptable, but a paper towel box from the grocery store would be fine.)
Please take packages to Post Office and be prepared to fill Customs slips.
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