thedrifter
07-12-07, 06:54 AM
Operation ASCOT to send packages to soldiers
July 12, 2007
By Denise M. Baran-Unland Special to the Herald News
Lance Cpl. David Blumenstock had barely left for the Marines when his wife grabbed her purse and hit the stores.
This was no pleasure trip for Donna Blumenstock, 21, of Joliet. She had made up her mind that once David was gone she would do her part to ensure he and his unit had a steady flow of necessary supplies and well-wishing letters.
"Even though my mom and I know how to bargain shop, we probably spent close to $1,000 out of pocket buying and sending various toiletries, canned food on sale and small toys for the kids," Donna said.
She calls her mission Operation ASCOT (American Soldiers Called on Tour), and now the mother of 2-year-old Levi (and another baby due in September), now spends her days enticing others to part with their merchandise for the good of the troops. The response, Donna said, has been generous.
"My problem right now is postage," Donna said.
Plus shipping
She has stored the merchandise at her parent's house -- Dan and Sandy Gonda of Joliet -- until she has funds to ship it. This includes more than 400 toothbrushes, stuffed animals schoolchildren donated, nine cases of soap and 600 units of Pepperidge Farm snacks.
"A company in Tennessee promised me three pallets -- 160 cases or 94,000 -- fly strips if I could figure out how to get them here," Donna said. "Readers Digest also just promised me 1,000 magazines a month, but they are going to ship them."
To help defray costs, Donna is hosting two car washes. She and her group of volunteers will wash vehicles for any donation amount.
The first is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Judson Memorial Baptist Church, on the corner of Infantry Drive and Black Roadsin Joliet. The second car wash is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 21 at the VFW Cantigny Post No. 367, 826 Horseshoe Drive, Joliet. For more information, call Donna at (815) 744-6153.
When Donna spent her first few dollars on supplies, she did not anticipate her project would grow this much. At first, Donna bought what she could and asked her family and friends to contribute what they could, too.
Biggest need
"As word got out we typed up a letter and stuff from private organizations came in. It just kept getting bigger and bigger," Donna said. The biggest needs, she added, are for everyday items most of us take for granted.
"Things like baby wipes and Chapstick are like gold to them. It's so hot there and the environment is so harsh and they are not always stationed near a store. Often they're working in an area where there are lots of kids, so they like being able to give away toys and stuff.
"One of the things that they warn the solders before they go is that kids are going to come up to them and ask them for chocolate -- because they're kids. Having stuff to give away makes relations between the solders and the Iraqis a lot better; it puts them on real good terms. And when the people you're working with are happy, you're happy, too."
Donna communicates regularly with a California military wife, Danielle Duguay, whose husband is in David's unit. Danielle, too, is collecting items for the troops, so they often compare notes. Danielle herself collected 30 cases of energy drinks, 14 cartfuls of miscellaneous items from Wal-Mart and four cases plus four gallons of hot sauce.
Back home, Donna's sisters, Victoria Gonda, 13, and Brieanna Gonda, 11, add a personal touch to the shipments by writing a steady stream of upbeat letters and fabricating well-wishing homemade cards for every major and minor holiday.
And it's not just David's unit that's getting all the attention. So far, Donna said, Operation ASCOT has sent care packages to entire units as well as individuals serving in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
"We don't have any National Guards yet," she said, "but we're working on that."
Ellie
July 12, 2007
By Denise M. Baran-Unland Special to the Herald News
Lance Cpl. David Blumenstock had barely left for the Marines when his wife grabbed her purse and hit the stores.
This was no pleasure trip for Donna Blumenstock, 21, of Joliet. She had made up her mind that once David was gone she would do her part to ensure he and his unit had a steady flow of necessary supplies and well-wishing letters.
"Even though my mom and I know how to bargain shop, we probably spent close to $1,000 out of pocket buying and sending various toiletries, canned food on sale and small toys for the kids," Donna said.
She calls her mission Operation ASCOT (American Soldiers Called on Tour), and now the mother of 2-year-old Levi (and another baby due in September), now spends her days enticing others to part with their merchandise for the good of the troops. The response, Donna said, has been generous.
"My problem right now is postage," Donna said.
Plus shipping
She has stored the merchandise at her parent's house -- Dan and Sandy Gonda of Joliet -- until she has funds to ship it. This includes more than 400 toothbrushes, stuffed animals schoolchildren donated, nine cases of soap and 600 units of Pepperidge Farm snacks.
"A company in Tennessee promised me three pallets -- 160 cases or 94,000 -- fly strips if I could figure out how to get them here," Donna said. "Readers Digest also just promised me 1,000 magazines a month, but they are going to ship them."
To help defray costs, Donna is hosting two car washes. She and her group of volunteers will wash vehicles for any donation amount.
The first is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Judson Memorial Baptist Church, on the corner of Infantry Drive and Black Roadsin Joliet. The second car wash is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 21 at the VFW Cantigny Post No. 367, 826 Horseshoe Drive, Joliet. For more information, call Donna at (815) 744-6153.
When Donna spent her first few dollars on supplies, she did not anticipate her project would grow this much. At first, Donna bought what she could and asked her family and friends to contribute what they could, too.
Biggest need
"As word got out we typed up a letter and stuff from private organizations came in. It just kept getting bigger and bigger," Donna said. The biggest needs, she added, are for everyday items most of us take for granted.
"Things like baby wipes and Chapstick are like gold to them. It's so hot there and the environment is so harsh and they are not always stationed near a store. Often they're working in an area where there are lots of kids, so they like being able to give away toys and stuff.
"One of the things that they warn the solders before they go is that kids are going to come up to them and ask them for chocolate -- because they're kids. Having stuff to give away makes relations between the solders and the Iraqis a lot better; it puts them on real good terms. And when the people you're working with are happy, you're happy, too."
Donna communicates regularly with a California military wife, Danielle Duguay, whose husband is in David's unit. Danielle, too, is collecting items for the troops, so they often compare notes. Danielle herself collected 30 cases of energy drinks, 14 cartfuls of miscellaneous items from Wal-Mart and four cases plus four gallons of hot sauce.
Back home, Donna's sisters, Victoria Gonda, 13, and Brieanna Gonda, 11, add a personal touch to the shipments by writing a steady stream of upbeat letters and fabricating well-wishing homemade cards for every major and minor holiday.
And it's not just David's unit that's getting all the attention. So far, Donna said, Operation ASCOT has sent care packages to entire units as well as individuals serving in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
"We don't have any National Guards yet," she said, "but we're working on that."
Ellie