August 2007

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 3RD ANNUAL RHODY'S RUN FOR THE TROOPS - SIGN UP NOW AND SPREAD THE WORD!

Here is Michael O'Keefe telling Steve, the owner of Brickley's Ice Cream, about Rhody's Run.  Brickley's has donated a gift certificate for our raffle.  Thank you Brickley's!

Many Updates to report:

1. SPC Pete Estes is expected home in September.  We have sent him our last round of packages.  We heard from his wife, April, that he is due home in mid to late September after fifteen months served in Iraq.

2.  SSG Rrea Brown is due to come home this month.  Rrea is working on a new contact for us - we hope to be in touch with that person very soon.

3.  SGT Lucas Dresser is scheduled to leave Iraq and be home in time for Labor Day.   We are thrilled that he will be flying to Rhode Island for the 3rd Annual Rhody's Run for the Troops.

4.  SGT Chris Sanchez, who was slated to return home this month after one year in Iraq, has been extended for 3 months and is now expected home mid November.

For our packages this month, we sent out lots of snacks, power bars, drink mixes, toiletries, magazines and DVDs.

From 1LT Matt Offiler:

Hello Kristin,
  Yesterday I returned from a patrol to find 4 very large boxes with my name on it, full of magazines, snacks and movies. I had to get some of my soldiers to help me carry them to our platoons tent but they didn't mind when they saw everything inside that you had sent us. I attached a picture of what we got to see when we opened them.. of course you already know what's in there, but it was still a great surprise to see that much. Thank You again for all your support.

Matt


2 emails from From SGT Lucas Dresser:

Kristin,

We have received yet another beautiful package! Everything was so
personal and thoughtful, thank you so much. The socks went like crazy, the deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, snacks, mags, DVDs... EVERYTHING was amazing and really brought a lot of smiles to this place. Thank you for the shirts as well! I see more and more of my personnel wearing them daily. I shared the shampoo/conditioner/deodorant with a Battalion that is right across the way from us... they have more females than we do, considering we have none! I guess I'm the only male confident and secure
with myself to use female hygiene products! They said they would use it but when it came down to it, they changed their minds. Hmm... haha.

Thank you so much though. This time your package found many more Marines than just the ones with me. And they loved it just the same. Everything was awesome, thank you!!

Recently we have been so busy. It seems like a lot more vehicles and weapons are getting damaged now-a-days out there, so we are working extra hard to get new ones into the fight. But we get it done! I am looking forward to my trip to RI!
-Lucas

Kristin,

Just writing to say thank you for everything! The DVDs get watched in
the conference room and have circulated through the hands of MANY
thankful Marines. The sports equipment has organized a few weekend
tourney's and make-shift leagues. The items have definitely made the
deployment a lot better for some of the Marines. After convoy recovery
the Marines have set-up flag football games, ultimate Frisbee, etc...
Thank you so much!

I am also writing to inform you that the crew and I are just over
1-month away from going home! We are set to be home right before Labor Day, and I am just informing you for future shipments/packages. I will make sure to write before we leave but just in case something happens I figured I would let you know. Thanks again for all that you've done!


Respectfully,

Lucas P. Dresser
Sergeant USMC