Care Packages For Our Deployed

SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS

In this household we respect the men and women who serve this Nation in a way that most of us could not.  We admire their courage and  honour their sacrifices.

  A couple of months back I was passing a shopping area and spotted an Aussie Flag so of course I wondered on over to have a sticky and seen a couple of old blokes with some flyers, I asked what was going on and one told me that they were veterans who were letting people know that our troops are going without basics and that a very well kept secret is about to be told.  I was intrigued, tell me more I say as I read the printed flyer.
Did you know that Australia Post allows 2kg FREE POSTAGE for care packages sent to our fellas who are deployed he says, and that you can do this up to 10times!.  I was smiling by this time.  I didn't smile for long as I read the flyer and discovered that our troops go without plenty that you and I would take for granted. Things like toothpaste for example, did you know they have used sand as a substitute. Lip balm, bet you didn't think about that scorching heat on their lips, and balls for their bomb sniffing dogs is a luxury.  I think we can do something about this if we try.
**********************************

Here is a list
They need things like longlife milk (small packages),
Books, cards, pens, writing paper, boardgames, magazines (no porn)
Batteries, tennis balls for their dogs, music and entertainment,
Female hygiene products, toothbushes, toothpaste, talc, soap, razor blades (not
the cheap no-name ones), shaving cream, mouth wash, moisturizer, lip balm (chap stick), shampoo,
conditioner, inner soles, foot powder, baby wipes, cotton buds, aftershave,
Twisties, chips, trail-mix, coffee and tea sachets, biscuits (not nuts or choc), oatmeal sachets, microwave rice (reject shop $2), microwave popcorn,, lollies,
Ring pull cans of tuna and salmon, small cereal boxes, powdered energy drinks,
Salt and pepper sachets, sauces and condiment sachets, sugar sachets,
Greek spices, spices that go with lamb or goat, cuppa soup, noodles,
disposable spoons and forks, dried food/fruit, drinking chocolate sachets.
******************************

I took a couple of flyers and went home and thought about it.  The next day I was at the local Chemist and they came good with some lip balm at cost, and when the women found out what it was for they were interested in getting some Care Packs together themselves.  Great!  Word was getting out.  Next stop was the local KFC and McDonalds to ask for sachets of sauces.  The young girl in KFC was great, she gave a bag full of sauces, disposable spoons forks and even some clean wipes.  Good on her!. I did not get anything from the manager at Maccas, I did not even bother to ask.  I did not want what I was doing to be soiled by anything negative someone may say.
The next few days was filled with gathering odds and ends, checking out secondhand books and getting the word out.  By weeks end there were about four boxes to be sent so off I went to the Post Office (which coincidentally is attached to the Chemist I spoke of) and wouldn't you know it, the lovely women there had been busy themselves and that kids from schools and women from the local knitting class were also donating goods and money for goods.  Truly inspiring.  I do not know exact numbers but would be confident in saying that through those two men that day in the shopping center with their Flag they were able to get hundreds of care packs sent to our troops. With the people I know who have sent packages there have been at least 20.
There are some good people out there who care about our men and women who are deployed and if in our own small way we can make them a little more comfortable well I am happy.
*  I would like to give a special thankyou to the guys (and girls) who work at The Pet Warehouse for donating close to 4kg of extra special goodies for our four legged friends at Christmas time.  That is the spirit we need.


This link is to oceanskykhaki and it has all the information you will need, it has the addresses to send the Care Packages, what you can put inside the packs, what can and cannot be sent,  make specialty Care packs.       http://oceanskykhaki.blogspot.com/
                                                                                              

AUSTRALIA POST allows 2kg FREE POSTAGE,  The Post Office is aware of the parcel arrangement with the Department of Defence.

ADDRESSES:
PARCELS/LETTERS

Sending to Afghanistan
An Australian Soldier
Op Slipper
AFPO 13
Australian Defence Force
SYDNEY NSW 2890

for the dog handler and his helpmate
An Australian EDD Handler
Op Slipper
AFPO 13
Australian Defence Force
SYDNEY NSW 2890

Sending to East Timor
An Australian Soldier
East Timor Operations
AFPO 61
Australian Defence Force
SYDNEY NSW 2890

Sending to the Solomon Islands
An Australian Soldier
Solomon Island Operations
AFPO 62
Australian Defence Force
SYDNEY NSW 2890

POSTCARDS ONLY
Messages to the Troops
R1-5-A056
Russell Offices
Department of Defence
 

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. 

Protect them as they protect us 

Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. 

Amen.'