I don't like ALL CAPS in headlines, but golly, I just LOVE announcing good news. Can we have a drum roll, please?!
As many of you know, Netroots for the Troops is offering a "Care Packages for the Troops" seminar on Saturday afternoon at Netroots Nation 08. Just one month ago, we let our great community know that before that seminar, we wanted to raise enough money to send 101 care packages to our troops -- direct from Netroots Nation. We wanted to support our military in a real way, and to show the country that "the netroots know the difference between walking the walk and talking the talk. We know that sound bites, photo ops, and 99-cent magnets made in China mean nothing when it comes to supporting our men and women on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan."
NFTT is an outgrowth of the work of the IGTNT and Mojo Friday folks to provide a little comfort and assistance to the troops. Gearing up for our goal, we've been diarying, hat-in-hand, asking you to join us. We asked our friends, Kossacks and countrypersons, to give us your time, your effort, and your money.
And you did!!!!!
We calculated that we needed $10,000 to meet our goal.
And thanks to all the great Netroots for the Troops diarists and to a certain yak-broth-sipping frontpager -- but most especially, thanks to all of you -- WE DID IT!!
Ceiling cat is watching all of you match your compassion with action:
The Netroots For The Troops project is our way to let the rest of the country see what real, hands-on support for our troops looks like:
The IGTNT crew will be bringing kossack kainah's beautiful memorial panels and presenting a tribute to our fallen men and women. As we look forward to ending this war, we must also look back at the lives already lost and salute their valor and sacrifice.
And we’ll be doing some real good for our troops on the ground. The money this GREAT COMMUNITY raised (YAY!!!) will be used to fill and ship 101 care packages directly from Austin to Iraq and Afghanistan. Each box will cost $11 to mail using the new, larger USPS Flat Rate APO boxes.
I sent four of these to female soldiers stationed in Afghanistan last Christmas and, trust me, you can cram a lot of great stuff into them. Among the items that will be put into EACH AND EVERY BOX (thanks to all of you!) are some important items that returning vets have let us know the soldiers now on deployment could use:
* Phone cards ($27.50 for 550 minutes)
* Mechanix brand gloves ($16/pair used to handle hot equipment without getting burned)
* Boot insole replacement inserts ($8/pair)
Of course, we'll be adding other good stuff too (my soldiers‘ favorite item was a DVD of the first season of Project Runway -- who knew?), but these are the big-ticket items, and a first for a DKos community effort.
Thank you, Daily Kos community! Have a round of applause:
And don’t stop now! We’ve met our goal, but it would be GREAT to send even more boxes, so if you haven’t given and would still like to do so (or would like to celebrate our fabulous community with another donation), please do so tonight. Follow the instructions here.
Woo-hoo! YAY FOR US!