thedrifter
12-27-06, 07:53 AM
Moline, Illinois
Marine Mom's Christmas Crisis
By Courtney Brennan
Moline, Illinois - Marine mom Mary Wadsworth keeps mailing boxes right next to her car because she sends a care package every week to her son in Iraq.
"He is with some Marines who get nothing. They get no gifts at all, they don't get food packages so we try and cover them."
Mary didn't buy any Christmas gifts for friends or family this year so that she could buy microwavable dinners, beef jerky and mac n'cheese for the Marines who get nothing. She had been saving for months and stockpiled the gifts in her garage.
"The day I was going to take it to the post office, I went to grab it and there was nothing left. It was all gone."
Someone stole the $300 worth of Christmas gifts Mary tried so hard to get. She was able to replace the coffee that Starbucks had originally donated.
"They put together another package that was actually their employees donating the free coffee that they get. They get one free bag of coffee a week I believe."
The coffee is covered but Mary is still trying to replace the food that was stolen. Mary says the reason the gifts were so special was because she had the names of the Marines who've gotten nothing and was going to send the packages directly to them.
"And it's really important for them mentally to feel like they're being supported and not just a generic card or a generic box."
If you would like to donate a gift for Mary to send overseas, you can reach her at
309-269-0860
Ellie
Marine Mom's Christmas Crisis
By Courtney Brennan
Moline, Illinois - Marine mom Mary Wadsworth keeps mailing boxes right next to her car because she sends a care package every week to her son in Iraq.
"He is with some Marines who get nothing. They get no gifts at all, they don't get food packages so we try and cover them."
Mary didn't buy any Christmas gifts for friends or family this year so that she could buy microwavable dinners, beef jerky and mac n'cheese for the Marines who get nothing. She had been saving for months and stockpiled the gifts in her garage.
"The day I was going to take it to the post office, I went to grab it and there was nothing left. It was all gone."
Someone stole the $300 worth of Christmas gifts Mary tried so hard to get. She was able to replace the coffee that Starbucks had originally donated.
"They put together another package that was actually their employees donating the free coffee that they get. They get one free bag of coffee a week I believe."
The coffee is covered but Mary is still trying to replace the food that was stolen. Mary says the reason the gifts were so special was because she had the names of the Marines who've gotten nothing and was going to send the packages directly to them.
"And it's really important for them mentally to feel like they're being supported and not just a generic card or a generic box."
If you would like to donate a gift for Mary to send overseas, you can reach her at
309-269-0860
Ellie