11/14/05
Lots of changes to report for Pack It Up:

1.  Amy is still in Iraq, but can no longer receive mail (hopefully because they are coming home soon!).

2.  Don't forget about the letter writing campaign.  Letters have started to come in.  Please take the time to write one letter to one serviceperson.  (more details below)

3.  We have new contacts who all were mailed November packages.  We are sending out packages to more than one group now:
* Lt Col Art Floru - You may remember him when he was Major Art Floru.  He's been promoted, had a baby girl, and is back in Iraq.
* PFC Brett Dreyer - Brett is the nephew of one of our generous race sponsors. He has been in Iraq for almost one year. 
* Major Juan Rosas - Juan wrote to us out of the blue.  We think he just happened upon on us through the internet, but we'll find out the details and keep you updated.
* CW2 Daniel J. Curran - Laurie and Amy (our two former contacts) put us in touch with Dan.

We went with almost all snacks this time and all the packages contained:  magazines, candy, brownies, oatmeal cookies, gum, granola bars, sunflower seeds, chips, oreos, twinkies, coffee, coffeemate, playing cards, baseball caps

4.  Here are some emails that I am happy to share:
From CPT Laurie Ludovici:
Amy tells me that we have recently received about 7 packages. I was not around for the opening, but she said they were well received and almost all of the goodies are gone. (I know we still have some of the peanut granola like bars in our office....they are yummy and some of the dried fruit, too!).

Really, Kristin, it was the highlight of our year here to get your boxes and see what kind of goodies we got (like Christmas)! So keep up the good work. Let me know and I can get you the info for both of the RI units.
:)

I think I might be home for Christmas!!!!!!! YEAH!
Thanks again,
Laurie

From Dawn Carrier, the mother of Brett Dreyer, our newest contact:

Hi Kristin,
Richard forwarded me your kind e-mail. Thank you for thinking of my son, Brett, and for taking the time and effort to send him something. He, and all the troops so appreciate ANY mail from home. Knowing that people are thinking of them really helps their morale. I just spoke with him yesterday --- and he and his buddies are especially homesick now with the holidays coming up. Hopefully, his Division will be coming home in late January. It's been a L O N G year for all of us. 
Below is his address --- I can't even tell you how grateful we are for your thoughts.
Regards,
Dawn Carrier

From MAJ Juan Rosas, our new contact:

I'm still here, will be here until end of DEC, goodies will be nice - anything is fine but my favorites are kit kats and oatmeal cookies… Well here things are so so weather getting cold now. Actually it feels good… thanks for everything you do for the troops out here… GOD bless you and your family….

Take care,
JUAN ROSAS

11/27/05
1.  Our November packages were received by Dan Curran and we've heard from our current contact, Art and our former contact, Amy.   See their emails below.

2.  Thanks to everyone who has sent letters.  Our goal is to have 99 letters.  We're about half way there.  If you write you letter this week and mail it by Friday, it will reach us in time for our Holiday package.

3.  Shopping began yesterday for all the Christmas packages.  We should be done by next weekend and plan to send the packages out by December 7th.  More details on everything we sent (with pictures) after it's all in the mail.

Hi Kristin,

I received your packages today!! And believe me they were meet with some huge enthusiasm. When we open the first box and saw it was stuffed with the smarties and caramel bites you could see nothing but some greedy smiles and wide eyes of delight.

My NCOIC SFC Jenkins has pretty much laid claim to the Bag of Chocolate Bars, but he is grudgedly sharing a few pieces. I want to again thank you for this unbelievable generosity. It gave me a great deal of pleasure to pass out the chapsticks and cookies and gum to the soldiers here. I have known most of them for quite some time so I know their weakness and with what you provided I was able to bring a little joy to a lot of people. To include the magazine, SPC Vargas loves those and was actually excited to get it when I handed it to her.

The bulk of the candy and cookies are in the break area of my office for all to enjoy.

Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and I will talk to you again soon.

Dan

Kristin,

It seems like just yesterday I was on the verge of a record breaking pace at the Run for the Troops. Record slow that is. I'm back on station and having a great time flying around on the new airplane this time. What a beauty. I do miss my girls but Olga has managed to send many pictures of the daily activities. It helps.

Your work on this project can only be described as remarkable.
Thank you again for all you do. Your work matters.
The Airshow will be here before you know it. We'll have fun again.

See you soon,

Art

Happy Thanksgiving Kristin!

Thank you for all you have done for us....you will always been remembered for your generosity and kindness.

Hope to meet you after we return,
Amy

SSG Amy Litman
Personnel Services Sergeant
S1
LSA Anaconda, Iraq OIF III