Afghanistan Air Drop from Washington State Civilians

In November 2007 Kirkland-based Technical Glass Products (TGP), future resident of Snoqualmie Ridge, assembled care packages that were flown and air-dropped to a 130-person Airborne Infantry company on front-line combat posts in Afghanistan.   Citizens of Snoqualmie and North Bend, Washington, and the surrounding area were invited to buy and bring the following new items to Meadow Brook Farm, 1711 Boalch Ave, North Bend, Washington:

• phone cards (#1 choice so they can phone home to their loved ones)
• personal hygiene items
• quality snack foods
• magazines books
• AA and AAA batteries
• DVDs
• iPODs
• 1 & 2 GB/SD memory sticks (external hard drives)
• Nerf toys
• Multi-colored gel pens (to write home with)
• VISA and MasterCard gift cards for when they do make it back to a base.

SupportOurTroops.Org helped disseminate information about the project.  The items were air-dropped into the troops’ location in Afghanistan, a combat zone.

Here's what Roy Emerson, executive officer of the 130-person Airborne Infantry Company, said when he requested the packages: “These men have been occupying combat outposts where they are frequently engaged with the enemy. They’ve been eating MRE's [Meals-Ready-to-Eat] for the last six months and have had no comforts from home. No regular mail. No good food. No Internet. Few personal hygiene items or other simple things.“

Fort Worth Texas-

4-21-2008

Richard Don Simms in Fort Worth Texas is definitely one of the Good Guys.   Every Thursday since 2005 he takes his banjo,  goes to the airport, and spends the day  playing for the deploying troops.    On the way he picks up Cinnamon rolls donated by other Good Guys -- Ginger Brown's Restaurant (Lake Worth) and Pat Craus (Tarrant County) -- and passes them out to the troops.  He gives the soldiers the cinnamon rolls and sits around and chats with them and tells them how grateful we all are for them.

Richard has been playing the banjo for 52 years! 

Any pictures or video sent will be added to the post.

Thank you Richard for looking out for those who look out for all of us!

Someone who knows Richard sent the following in:  What you may not know.  Richard's father died with 800 other sailors in a WWII bomb attack on the USS Franklin. It was near the end of the war. The story of the attack and the ship's survival is told (video) on my Navy Ship's website at www.ussocallahan.org.  Father O'Callahan was awarded the medal of honor for his actions that day aboard the Franklin.  . . .  I love what your organization is doing. ~~ Vic

Bryan Texas -

July 26, 2008 

Bryan / College Station Jaycees “Operation Cheap Date”

Under a blazing hot Texas sun, the Bryan / College Station Jaycees were sweating for a good cause on Saturday, July 26th.  The Jaycees are a cooperating partner of SUpportOurTroops.Org.  The project dubbed “Operation Cheap Date” awarded a prize of a free appetizer or dessert to local restaurants for a donation of 5 separate items from the list of supplies for the troops or a $25 monetary donation.  Items donated included single serve powdered drink mixes, snacks, wet wipes, toiletries, hard candy DVD’s, magazines, and much more.

The Bryan / College Station Jaycees received community support from a local radio station, Candy 95.  The Candy 95 DJ’s were on site talking about the Jaycees all afternoon on air and encouraging the community to help support our troops.  The local Newspaper, The Bryan Eagle also supported Operation Cheap Date by printing an article on Friday asking the community to support the Jaycees by donating supplies for the troops.

Operation Cheap Date was a very successful project and allowed our community to be involved in supporting the troops.  The Bryan / College Station Jaycees raised $310 in donations and collected 49 boxes of supplies to ship overseas.  The Bryan Eagle reported that the community would and could do better than the original goal of 15 boxes of supplies.  The Bryan / College Station community delivered results!

Thank you to the Bryan / College Station community and thank you to our troops serving our country overseas!  We miss you all and hope you come home soon.

Written by Carla Townson

SupportOurTroops.Org thanks the Jaycees, one of our cooperating partners, for doing such a wonderful thing for the troops!