Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! on to Valentines Day packages...

Thanks everyone for such great participation this year!

In addition to over 800 Christmas stockings being sent, a couple of hundred packages were mailed. I'm hoping to receive more photos from the troops, and when I do I'll post them here.

It was especially gratifying for me this year as I connected with several Marine families right here near me at Camp Pendleton (San Diego).  This was a totally new adventure, and became very personal as I was able to meet them in person.

The Marine wives only asked for some support and cheer for their husbands, but many of you jumped in to make their Christmas a little more enjoyable after I found out how great the need was.  Frequent deployments, and several medical issues put a real crunch on their finances and emotions.  A simple request to you all and gift cards, toys, tickets to Disneyland, and even decorated Christmas trees were offered.  Then I connected with the Camp Pendleton Rotary Club and they provided toys, dinners, and car seats to these young families.

We will continue to follow these Marines, as one family has a newborn who was in 3 different hospitals in one week, and an older child in the hospital with pneumonia. Another has pending surgery for Dad, Mom, and a 5 year old all about the same time.

I'll update here as usual.

Valentines Day is only 6 weeks away, so if you didn't get something out for Christmas or New Years, or even if you did, consider a package to be mailed in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned!  And again, THANK YOU!  It is my pleasure to be the conduit to our troops.

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