thedrifter
12-19-08, 06:37 AM
Caring for Marines, and other troops
By Sam Richards
Lamorinda Sun
Contra Costa Times
Article Last Updated:12/18/2008 02:55:49 PM PST
By Sam Richards
John Wintersteen carries a lot of boxes of food to area post offices, from Pleasant Hill to San Ramon and Orinda. "I'm very familiar with all the post offices," he said ... and with their long holiday season lines.
The boxes he carries, typically 15 to 20 pounds each, are full of food, toiletries, bug repellent, DVDs, books, phone cards and other items destined for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wintersteen oversees Project Marine Care, which works to give the troops boxes of food and whatever other items that help make life during wartime more bearable.
"I stand there in line and think about the troops getting these boxes, and picture them opening the boxes," Wintersteen said Wednesday from the Lafayette Veterans Memorial building, where he is general manager. "That helps me put up with those long waits."
Wintersteen, who started Project Marine Care in mid-2004, said he and volunteers with whom he works have sent 100 big boxes of provisions from those post offices over the past 2 1/2 weeks. That makes more than 4,100 total containers shipped overseas since the inception of the program, sponsored by the Marine Corps League, Mt. Diablo Detachment 942, the local branch of a national nonprofit organization of former and active Marines who help their active or retired brethren. It is a year-round effort.
There are donation barrels at several spots around Lamorinda and other parts of Contra Costa County. Along with items collected in the barrels,
cash donations keep the group going strong. Some come from businesses or individuals, Wintersteen said, but most come from private groups. And not all are local; a Marin County group recently gave Project Marine Care "several thousand dollars" for troop care packages, and donations come from out-of-state, as well.
Though the group sends packages to troops in all military branches, its focus is on the Marines. Project Marine Care also works with other like-minded groups, including the Blue Star Moms. Wintersteen sends out an e-mail newsletter six or seven times a year to approximately 800 recipients — many of them at various military offices, bases and installations — and those get passed on to thousands of other people, who send in requests for shipments.
Wintersteen has a team of 60 volunteers who lend varying hours of service per week; on busy box-packing days, 10 to 15 gather at the Veterans Memorial Building to do the work.
The volunteers get appreciative e-mails from many of those who get the packages. This is part of one of them:
" ... Thank y'all very much for the things you have sent. My unit received packages from you and it's always amazing how the focus of every Marine changes and it's just a different aura in the room. Thank you again from the bottom of all our hearts.... "
Wintersteen, an active Marine from 1959 until 1963, includes a liberal number of such e-mails in the newsletters he sends out. They constantly remind him — and others, he knows — of the importance of doing all the work.
"It doesn't even matter what's in those boxes; just to let them know we remember they're there, that's the main reason they love what we send them," Wintersteen said.
Project Marine Care
To support Project Marine Care, make checks out to MCL DET 942 and send them to John Wintersteen, 436 Sycamore Circle, Danville, CA 94526. All donations are applied 100 percent to help the roops - there are no administration fees. For information on how to send boxes, email steenmarine@yahoo.com for a "Package Protocol" and a list of goods wanted for the troops.Information is also available by calling Wintersteet at 925-837-7750.
Ellie
By Sam Richards
Lamorinda Sun
Contra Costa Times
Article Last Updated:12/18/2008 02:55:49 PM PST
By Sam Richards
John Wintersteen carries a lot of boxes of food to area post offices, from Pleasant Hill to San Ramon and Orinda. "I'm very familiar with all the post offices," he said ... and with their long holiday season lines.
The boxes he carries, typically 15 to 20 pounds each, are full of food, toiletries, bug repellent, DVDs, books, phone cards and other items destined for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wintersteen oversees Project Marine Care, which works to give the troops boxes of food and whatever other items that help make life during wartime more bearable.
"I stand there in line and think about the troops getting these boxes, and picture them opening the boxes," Wintersteen said Wednesday from the Lafayette Veterans Memorial building, where he is general manager. "That helps me put up with those long waits."
Wintersteen, who started Project Marine Care in mid-2004, said he and volunteers with whom he works have sent 100 big boxes of provisions from those post offices over the past 2 1/2 weeks. That makes more than 4,100 total containers shipped overseas since the inception of the program, sponsored by the Marine Corps League, Mt. Diablo Detachment 942, the local branch of a national nonprofit organization of former and active Marines who help their active or retired brethren. It is a year-round effort.
There are donation barrels at several spots around Lamorinda and other parts of Contra Costa County. Along with items collected in the barrels,
cash donations keep the group going strong. Some come from businesses or individuals, Wintersteen said, but most come from private groups. And not all are local; a Marin County group recently gave Project Marine Care "several thousand dollars" for troop care packages, and donations come from out-of-state, as well.
Though the group sends packages to troops in all military branches, its focus is on the Marines. Project Marine Care also works with other like-minded groups, including the Blue Star Moms. Wintersteen sends out an e-mail newsletter six or seven times a year to approximately 800 recipients — many of them at various military offices, bases and installations — and those get passed on to thousands of other people, who send in requests for shipments.
Wintersteen has a team of 60 volunteers who lend varying hours of service per week; on busy box-packing days, 10 to 15 gather at the Veterans Memorial Building to do the work.
The volunteers get appreciative e-mails from many of those who get the packages. This is part of one of them:
" ... Thank y'all very much for the things you have sent. My unit received packages from you and it's always amazing how the focus of every Marine changes and it's just a different aura in the room. Thank you again from the bottom of all our hearts.... "
Wintersteen, an active Marine from 1959 until 1963, includes a liberal number of such e-mails in the newsletters he sends out. They constantly remind him — and others, he knows — of the importance of doing all the work.
"It doesn't even matter what's in those boxes; just to let them know we remember they're there, that's the main reason they love what we send them," Wintersteen said.
Project Marine Care
To support Project Marine Care, make checks out to MCL DET 942 and send them to John Wintersteen, 436 Sycamore Circle, Danville, CA 94526. All donations are applied 100 percent to help the roops - there are no administration fees. For information on how to send boxes, email steenmarine@yahoo.com for a "Package Protocol" and a list of goods wanted for the troops.Information is also available by calling Wintersteet at 925-837-7750.
Ellie