• The May package was sent out on Monday, 5/16/05.  We spent $280 in total, including shipping.  Laurie, our new contact who is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot stationed just north of Baghdad, requested that we send the following:  Blank greeting cards that could be sent home from the soldiers, Sun Block and Bug Spray.  We sent 100 Hallmark Father's Day cards, plus about 25 Graduation cards and 25 "I miss you" type of cards.  Also, we sent a bunch of Sun Block, Sports Illustrated and just a little bit of candy this time. 

• We were not able to send any Bug Spray because you cannot send anything in an aerosol can or any liquid. I asked Laurie for more info on what kind they use and I'll check into whether we are allowed to send it through the USPS.

• There will be a second MAY package going out next week with letters and pictures from 3 different schools, one of which is Laurel Hill School where the troops just visited.

• We still have $305 in the pot for June's package.  That's great!

• Check out the bottom of this page for our progress so far and all the great emails and pictures we've received.

Here's the latest email from Laurie (sent 5/11/05) with some information about her, her life over in Iraq and her family back in RI.

Hello there,

Things here have been hectic, but so far, nothing to report that has affected our unit directly. All we can do here is take things one day at a time. Just because one day was nice and quiet doesn't mean the next day will be the same. I have asked the "boys" that run the mailroom and the "goodie" area what they thought we might need and I did get a few suggestions.....sunblock and bug spray. There are a whole lot of bugs over here right now! It appears that no matter what you leave in there for the soldiers to use/take...it goes.

Being a BIG Red Sox fan, I was very happy to hear about the Yankees. I was still in RI last year for the playoffs and the world series. I was able to get to at least one game per series....Anaheim (spelling???) and then the Yankees and then my husband got tickets to the actual world series at Fenway. What an absolute joy that was. We were at game three...the one where Schilling got stitched up to pitch....it was great. I have brought my Red Sox hats with me and even took one of the Johnny Damon shirts you put in the last package (it was an xl, but I will wear it to bed if I have to). I feel like the World Series gave me a really good memory to fall back on while I am here.

As far as me and my family, we live in Rhode Island. I grew up in Cumberland, RI and now live with my family in South Kingstown, RI (right near URI). My parents now live close by in Narragansett. I have a sister who lives in Virginia and works in DC and a brother who lives in CT. My little girl (Julia) will turn 7 years old this month and my little boy (TJ=Thomas Joseph) is now 20 months old. I will try to attach some pictures of us for you, but I am not sure how well this computer system is working today. Looks like I was able to attach...so there is one of my after a long day of flying..one of Julia and one of TJ enjoying a big bowl of ice cream! I wish I could have included one of my husband, Tom, but he is WAY too busy chasing the kids around and taking pictures (for me) so I don't get very many of him.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and I will chat with you soon. Thanks for everything!

Laurie
 

6/1/05
Our May package arrived and was well received. Check out Laurie's email:

Hi there. Thanks for thinking of me (and the rest of us) on Memorial Day. It was really "just another day" here in Iraq. I was out flying a mission for most of the day. My co-pilot and I were talking, along the way, about what we would have been doing if we were "back home". We talked about being at a cookout or party and enjoying the company of our family and friends.

Good news, we received your package. I personally sorted the cards and put them on display in the mail room. I picked out a few (one for my dad and one for my hubby). The magazines are always welcome. And of course, any kind of candy and sweets are always a BIG hit. The sunscreen is already gone.

I hear the Sox did a number on the yanks this weekend. I was very happy to hear about that. I guess we didn't sweep, but when we did win...we won BIG. I hear that Art was on TV this weekend. My husband saw it and said he did a good job. He was interviewed on ABC during the Indy 500 race (or something like that). He is a trip.

Thanks for everything! I really appreciate all that you are doing to make our tour here more bearable.

Laurie