PDA

View Full Version : `Support the troops' is more than a saying for her



thedrifter
01-10-08, 08:05 AM
Posted on Thu, Jan. 10, 2008
`Support the troops' is more than a saying for her
JOE HABINA
Tracy Ginder's hope for Christmas was to grant someone else's wishes.

Two weeks before Christmas, the Mount Pleasant woman didn't know whether she would have enough money to buy and ship holiday presents to all of the 60 Marines stationed in Iraq with whom she had established a bond over the previous six months.

On Dec. 9, an article appeared in Cabarrus Neighbors depicting how Ginder had spent much of her own money to support her adopted military family. But she had fallen about 15 packages short of providing gifts to all 60 men and women in this Marine unit.

After that article appeared, an outpouring of contributions from the community, including people who made donations anonymously, allowed Ginder to provide the remaining 15 packages, and then some.

Spurred by a lifelong respect for men and women in the military, Ginder found a Web site last January, http://anysoldier.com, which provided contact information for military personnel stationed in Iraq.

She started reaching out by sending greeting cards to random personnel. By July, she had found Marine Aviation Logistic Squadron 29, based at Camp Lejeune.

Eventually she started sending care packages, sometimes including themes such as for a picnic, a luau and a casino. She wanted to send parcels packed with Christmas goodies to all the members of MALS 29.

Ginder's outreach project is not registered as a nonprofit organization, so its support came mostly from friends and family members. After word of the project spread to the public, however, she received numerous donations, well wishes and thank-you notes, Ginder said.

Some were anonymous. Some were from military veterans, current Marines or parents of armed services personnel. Among them was a letter from U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C, of Charlotte, thanking her for her commitment.

Enough donations came in that Ginder was able to complete her goal of 60 packages and to send an additional 10 presents to the Military Transition Team, also out of Camp Lejeune.

Ginder's next project, she said, is to send packages to MALS 29 for the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day.

She said she was grateful to everyone who contributed.

Want to help?

Reach Tracy Ginder at her Web site, http://afreedomhorse.com, by e-mail at afreedomhorse@yahoo.com or by mail at P.O. Box 1353, Mount Pleasant, NC 28124.

Ellie