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There
are men and women on duty right now, all over
the world, committed to the notion that freedom
is better than oppression -- and they're putting
their lives on the line to make it possible.
Memorial Day each year is one of several holidays
when we pause to remember the sacrifice of people
who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Rather
than talking about drycleaning, we wanted to
give you specific information this week about
how you can show your support of the troops
in the field through Care Packages and letters. Read
on and find out how to participate in this simple
but effective Memorial Day tribute.
See you soon!
Ed and Mary Longanecker
Iris City Cleaners and Laundering Company |
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Long
May It Wave!
Just a reminder that
one simple way to show your support of troops
in the field and to salute those in the past
who worked to keep us free is to fly your flag
-- not just on holidays like Memorial Day, but
any time. To keep your flag in good condition,
have it cleaned at least annually. We clean American
flags at no charge. Bring
us your flag, and fly it proudly. (Include
first page of this e-mail with your order. No
expiration date.) |
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Showing
You Care Is Easy!
How excited do you
get when a package arrives unexpectedly from
someone you love? You rip into the box and savor
the sentiment as much as the gift. Men
and women in the armed forces are equally thrilled
to receive mail from home. Often,
it is the only link they have to a life that
seems almost like a dream to them while they
are in the field.
Something tangible
in a soldier's hands speaks volumes about the
support they have behind them. You
don't even need to know a soldier's name in
order to make a difference in their lives.
There are programs that distribute packages
addressed to "any soldier" (the soldiers sign
up for the program) and thousands of packages
have been delivered in this way. |
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What
to Send, How to Send It
As you plan your family
Memorial Day weekend activities, why not include
a soldier in your thoughts and put together
a Care Package in tribute to his or her efforts
-- and those of soldiers past. There
are excellent resources on the internet to help
you do this, and a list of links at the end
of this article will take you right to them.
What
to Send:
Send items that are
not readily available to soldiers, but that
they'd enjoy, such as food items, entertainment,
and things to make communicating with the people
back home easier.
Items
to consider:
- Powdered
drink mixes (like Kool-aid
and Gatorade) that can be added to water.
- Cookies
or salty snacks like chips.
- Reading
material such as books
(paperback), magazines and newspapers.
- Toiletry
and personal items like
baby wipes, sanitizing liquid (double
bag in plastic zip bags),sunscreen, foot
powder, razors and shoe laces (for gym
shoes and boots.)
- Fun
foods like beef jerky
(very popular with the troops for its
nutritional value, as well as the taste),
candy that doesn't melt (M&Ms are
good, as is licorice), soup mixes, canned
meats, microwave popcorn, hot cocoa mix,
cookies in small packages, vitamins and
spices/flavorings.
- Entertainment
items like CDs, DVDs (and
players for both), word puzzle books,
hand-held games, batteries (especially
AA and D sizes.)
- Disposable
cameras, as well as 35mm
film.
- AT&T
prepaid phone cards for
making international calls.
- An
envelope that is pre-addressed back to
you (or post card) and
a pen if the soldier wants
to reply to your gift. Make it easy for
them. No postage required on the envelope
or post card.
You
should include your return address on the package,
so the box is not considered "suspicious". Send
via the US Postal Service, which
will deliver to the APO locations -- which are
based in the US, so your postal cost will be
the same as for any domestic package. (Fed Ex
and UPS do not deliver to Iraq, so go with the
USPS.)
What
NOT to Send:
- Home-baked
ANYTHING. Unless you are
mailing to someone you know, and who knows
the package is coming, do NOT send home-baked
goodies. Soldiers have been instructed
to throw away anything that is not pre-packaged,
for their own safety.
- Flea
collars (some misguided
people have sent them to help with the
insect problems soldiers face, but they
are not safe for humans to wear -- our
skin is different than that of a cat or
dog, and we don't have fur to protect
us.)
- Pork
products -- these can
be offensive to the people of the country
where soldiers are based.
- Sexually
explicit materials (also
offensive to host countries.)
- Alcohol
products.
- Sharp
objects.
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There are other
guidelines and suggestions for what to send,
as well as pre-assembled Care Packages that
can be purchased and shipped for you. One
of the best sites giving information about Care
Packages and troop needs is AnySoldier.com.
The site includes an informative FAQ section,
addresses to send packages to, what to send,
how to send it, and has heartwarming responses
from troops who have received packages. A
number of companies have agreed to give discounts
on items purchased for an AnySoldier package,
and they are listed on the site with items ranging
from food to personal hygiene to equipment to
fun items.
Remember
that there are many women serving in the armed
forces overseas. If you are
sending a package that is meant for a female
soldier through the AnySoldier program, address
it to "Any Female
Soldier". Include personal hygiene
products and other items that would appeal to
a woman to personalize the package.
Other
Resources on the Internet:
- Treats
for Troops --
pre-assembled packages of treats.
- Books
for Soldiers --
Soldiers can sign up and request particular
books or types of books, and you can fill
their order.
- Giddy
Gift Boxes --
available for more than just soldiers,
but with boxes tailor-made for overseas
troops.
- Advice
about Care Packages --
from About.com. Good advice and includes
lists of items to consider.
- Another
list of items --
assembled for Iowa National Guard units
going overseas, with specific items that
troops had requested.
Happy
and Safe Memorial Day! |
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We
are enormously appreciative of the opportunity
to share our weekly newsletters with you.
We feel that much of the content is valuable
for anyone who purchases fine clothing and is
interested in their preservations and cleaning.
This includes important things like keeping
the American Flag looking clean, sharp, and
bright. Click on the symbol to the left if
your would like to send this and future newsletters
to a friend.
Thanks a million, Ed and Mary
The
Iris City Cleaners Connection is
a weekly news letter dedicated to the interest
of fine garment care, restoration, and conservation.
It is published in Mt Pleasant, Iowa by Iris
City Cleaners and is an extension of our services
described in www.iriscitycleaners.com
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