Our Holiday Letter Drive has begun. Please write a letter to our troops thanking them for their service. These letters and cards will be included in our Holiday Stockings that will be sent to our troops in time for Christmas.  This is a great school project, girl/boy scout activity, office activity or Thanksgiving day family project.  Thank you for taking the time to write letters.  We hope to receive 5,000 letters!  Please mail letters by December 5th to:

Pack It Up
500 Randolph Ave
Milton, MA 02186

Thank you to everyone who volunteered, ran, participated in, donated to and sponsored the 7th Annual Rhody's Run for the Troops.   We are thrilled to announced we raised $7,061!  This puts our total raised over $100,000. Thank you everyone for your generosity and patriotism!  Pictures are below as well as a letter recently received from our newest contact, LtCol Peter Horne.

Hello Kristen,
On behalf of the RC Capital-Kabul Provost Marshal
Office (PMO), I would like to extend my deepest thanks for sending my folks the care packages. They were very much appreciated and the portable DVD player is being shared by all. The Girl Scout cookies were a big hit and went fast...as everybody loves Girl Scout cookies! The variety of movies and magazines was great and they are being shared by
all as well.
My folks and I are spread throughout the bases in
the city of Kabul. I attached a photo (FYI, that's me in the back next to the Military Police sign) of some of my folks inside Camp Phoenix, as we won't have the opportunity to gather together as a group until we re-deploy. I included a picture of one of my K9's as our dogs are also a
big part of our efforts as well! My people are made up of USAF, US Army, and an international mix of civilian contractors. Militarily, we are a combination of active duty and National Guard (RI, West Virginia, Arizona, and Alaska). It is a small world as my higher HQ is a Massachusetts Army National Guard unit (26th MEB) and they have several Rhode Islanders mixed in with them as well.
Just to let you know the far reaching positive
impact you and your folks have had on our diverse US military, one of the soldiers serving under me already knew who you were when I told them about your packages. One of my (active duty Army) military dog handlers,
a non-Rhode Islander, told me that on his last deployment he had received a package from your organization. He was shocked to hear your name again and said to pass on his thanks to you for all you do. I told them all the story of your organization and why you do this act of
selfless service for the men and women who serve in the US armed forces. All of my people expressed the same level of gratitude and thanks to you and yours. The fact that you do this for people you have never even met
was a shock to many and stands as a testament to all you contribute to our service members quality of life.
I'll see you again next year at the "8th" Annual
Rhody's Run for the Troops. Thank you again and God bless!

Respectfully,
Lt Col Peter H. Horne, USAF
Joint Provost Marshal, Kabul Base Cluster
Task Force Yankee, Camp Phoenix
Kabul, Afghanistan


7th Annual Rhody's Run for the Troops Photos
 

October 2011
Meet LCPL Kyle Shea, our newest Pack It Up contact.

Thank you to his fiancée Rebbecca for the bio and his mother Patricia for the photo!

Lcpl Kyle W. Shea
Kyle graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice in 2008. Shortly after he joined the United States Marine Corps, something he had always wanted to do. When he returns home he will continue looking for a career in Law Enforcement so that he can utilize the skills acquired from his intensive infantry training in the Marine Corps.
During his high school years at Cranston East, Kyle worked at Blockbuster Video. Anyone who knows him would say he is a huge movie buff! He then worked at a group home with Perspectives Corporation where he showed his strong desire to help others. Other than his great movie knowledge, Kyle loves reading about the history of the United States. It is undeniable that he loves his Country!
The most important aspect of life to Kyle besides his beloved Country is his family. He is happiest when surrounded by his mother Patricia, brothers Tyler (US Navy Active duty) and Ryan, sister Alex, nieces Riley and Kaleigh, and his many aunts, uncles and cousins. He also recently became engaged to his long-term girlfriend of 4 years, Rebbecca Hayes.
Kyle began his first tour to Afghanistan in September 2011.