Sailor and Daughter Help Pack Boxes

MA2 J.D. Villa stopped by with 5-year old Lexie to thank us for past support and to help pack boxes for troops still serving in the Middle East. Lexie's mom, DC2 Raina Villa is serving aboard the USS Iwo Jima, so Lexie packed a special box just for her.

Churches Involved

Rockport's First Presbyterian and St. Peter's Episcopal members combined to fill 76 stocking boxes for our project. Beverly Jacobson promotes all the military support at FPC, a real ambassador for the troops. Her son Todd is on his way home after a second tour in Iraq. Daniel Garcia, a FPC member, was part of the group collecting the boxes. His son, MSgt Ruben Garcia, is currently serving in Afghanistan and receives care boxes from our group.

More Stocking Boxes

One of our Winter Texan supporters, Donna Jensen, brought many boxes filled by the folks out at the Lagoons RV Park. Live Oak Learning Center students filled many boxes under the guidance of Counselor Susie Moss. Prosperity Bank in Rockport keeps a display in their lobby promoting our troop support projects. What a great network of Americans supporting our finest so far from home.

Stocking Boxes for the Troops

Rachel Weaver spends part of her year in Minnesota and the rest in Rockport. She has encouraged all her Mah Jongg buddies at the Rockport Country Club to join her in the Stocking Box project. Her efforts have produced 29 boxes, filled with Christmas goodies, as well as generous cash donations for postage.

Santa's Elves

Joyce Barnes of Mathis, 83 years young, and Katie Costello of Corpus Christi, get into the giving Spirit of Christmas, remembering so many young men and women far from home during the holidays.

Getting Into the Spirit of Giving

Ramona LeBlanc, Joyce Barnes, Carla, Katie Costello, and Diane Lewis have a little fun with the trees, bears and reindeer. We hope the troops have even more fun.

Getting Ready for Christmas

We began getting ready for our Christmas mailings last January, shopping the after-holidays sales and got great buys. Wal-Mart donated large boxes of Christmas items; we had a problem finding storage space for the next 9-10 months. Neighbors opened their doors and extra space was found. So on Nov. 5 we had our first big workday before packing the first boxes filled with a singing Christmas tree, snowman, or reindeer, as well as Christmas cards to mail home, a holiday music CD, holiday decorations and a small hygiene kit. Over the next month we will pack and send boxes with Christmas stockings and goodies, one filled with candy and food items and finally a gift box. Our total should be at least 700 mailed in November and December. Many individuals and businesses have given for this effort; lots of volunteer hours have gone into the efforts of getting the boxes packed and off to the Post Office in time. Merry Christmas from South Texas!!! Ho! Ho! Ho!

October 13, 2008

This day was proclaimed Carla Reed Day in Aransas County, honoring her leadership in the troop support efforts for the past 3 1/2 years. Commissioner Oscar Pina and Judge Martin DeLeon led the efforts and the Commissioner's Court agreed. There were at least 12 of the support group there, along with her family, to honor her. Later the same afternoon some of the group went to the CC airport to welcome home from Iraq MA2 Cowan and his Military Working Dog after 8 months in Iraq. We stood with the PGR in the flag line on this special day.

Packing Boxes

The day L.C. visited the group was busily packing boxes, sealing and getting ready for mailing. Working together makes the job go smoothly and in a timely manner.

Navy Corpsman L.C. Weathersby Visited

Our group of volunteers packed and readied for mailing almost 100 boxes on this Friday afternoon. L.C. Weathersby was on our mailing list the past 5 months and just returned from duty in Iraq. This 23-year old sailor plans to make a career in the military and shared some of his experiences and plans with us. His proud mom came, thankful to have him home for a short visit. Norma Martinez of the Rockport Pilot came out to meet L.C. and interview him for a future story. Joyce Barnes of Mathis, long-time supporter of our efforts, was on hand to welcome L.C. and celebrate her 83d birthday. These young men and women who serve in such trying times are the hope of our future, and we will continue to care for them until they all come home.

August 2008 Mailing

2007 Mailings

Going Postal

After the boxes are packed, sealed and addressed, with customs forms for each attached, they are loaded into someone's vehicle, usually Carla's, and taken to the Post Office. In the early days of this project, time at the Post Office was not too long. As time passed and our troop list grew, we took up lots of postal time since each box must be weighed, scanned, and the customs forms stamped and separated. Other patrons often grew impatient though some were motivated to help; once someone paid for all the postage, over $200. Now we often go before or after regular hours to process the 100 boxes, usually about an hour's work if there are 4-6 volunteers helping. These pictures show the group working over the last 3 years and how it has changed. The Rockport Post Office staff helps to make our efforts go smoothly.

Sgt Frankie De La Garza Comes Home

For over a year our group has sent care packages to Sgt De La Garza in Iraq. What a thrill it was on Aug. 16 to join the Patriot Guards, his family and friends, and many citizens in downtown Rockport to welcome him home.

Welcome Home

There is great satisfaction in welcoming home one of our brave young people returning from service in the Middle East. The Corpus Christi airport is often busy with troops deploying as well as returning home. We have joined the Patriot Guard Riders to help provide lines of honor in support of these heroes and their families.

Packing Boxes

On Aug. 1 we got together and packed our boxes, about 90 on this day. We worked very steadily for about 2 hours and got it all done: some assembled the boxes, then some began filling with hygiene kits, snacks, candy, sun and bug kits, personal care items and more. Then letters were added to explain our mission, and the boxes closed and sealed; the last step was to add the mailing label and customs forms before loading in the back of the SUV. The Post Office handles our boxes before or after hours to avoid long lines and impatient patrons.

Workday on July 30, 2008

This is our most recent workday prior to beginning this blog. The purpose of the blog is to chronicle and share the history and activities of our group and the reasons behind our continuing efforts. Since the Spring of 2005 our group has been packing and sending care boxes to our brave men and women in the Middle East who are in the service of our great country. It is because of them and many who came before them that we can live in this beautiful area on the Central Gulf Coast of Texas.