PVCC Puma Press: December 2006

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	Photo courtesy Charity Williamson
	Operation Gratitude helps civilians connect with military men and women during holidays.
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Operation Gratitude reaches out to military men and woman deployed overseas by sending care packages and letters each year during its “Holiday Drive.”

Carolyn Blashek with Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization, explains that there are several ways you can help.

According to Blashek, writing “generic” letters to service members is one way to help support our troops this season. In writing a generic letter, you may address the letter as Dear Hero, Dear Service Member, etc. Blashek includes these letters in care packages that are also donated to her organization. With the assistance of a team of volunteers, she ships the packages overseas. The addresses and names of the troops are not released. Blashek requests that you include your name and address in the body of each letter to give the service member the option to write back.

Letters sent need to be positive and upbeat. All letters are reviewed for content. Blachek gives a few examples of what to write:

♦ Be thankful.

♦ Share a little bit of yourself with the soldier.

♦ Ask questions (but not about death or killings).

♦ Avoid politics completely and religion in excess. (Saying that you will pray for the troops is OK.)

♦ It’s all about heart, appreciation and respect.

♦ Ask yourself, “Would I like to get this letter?” or “Will this letter bring a smile to someone’s face?”

Blashek explains further: “One of my favorite stories is that of a woman who wrote about 100 letters to include in our care packages. They were all sent out in random packages during one of the drives. One recipient, a Marine in Iraq, received one of her letters in his package. He wrote back to her, and she wrote back to him. They kept corresponding until he returned to the U.S. They finally met in person and are now madly in love. . . .It’s been about a year and a half, and there is talk of marriage!”

Another way that you can help, according to Blashek, is by sending items for Operation Gratitude’s “Collection Drive.” All donated items are used to complete the care packages. Blashek provides a list of preferred entertainment, food and necessity items for donation. A few examples are DVDs, CDs and players, disposable cameras, breath mints, gum, tobacco products, nail clippers, toothpaste and socks.

Money donations are also accepted by Operation Gratitude. Blashek says that the donations are used to cover shipping costs of the care packages sent. According to Blashek, each package costs an average of $10 to send.

All letters and care packages must be received at Operation Gratitude by December 15 for processing. You may send your letters and donated items to Operation Gratitude, 16444 Refugio Road, Encino, California, 91436. For more information, visit: www.opgratitude.com.