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WASHINGTON D.C. (May 22, 2008) - Tens of thousands of care
packages will be packed and ready for shipping to servicemembers
deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and on ships at sea in time for
Independence Day.
Operation Gratitude's annual "Patriotic Drive" makes sure
servicemembers have a little piece of home around the nation's
birthday.
"This will be the fastest-paced care package drive we have ever
undertaken," said Charlie Othold, director of operations. "We only
have two weekends of prep work and two weekends of assembling, but
we will get a package shipped to every servicemember whose name we
receive."
Seven days a week since May 1, volunteers and military officials
have been sorting, inspecting and organizing millions of donated
items, paving the way for the packing to begin.
On May 17, the opening day of the box-packing portion of the
Patriotic Drive, more than 60 Operation Gratitude supervisory
volunteers were honored with the presentation of the "President's
Volunteer Service Award."
Boxes will continue to be packed during the coming Memorial Day
weekend as well. In observance of the May 26 holiday, the
organization will pay tribute to wounded warriors with a screening
of the documentary "Warriors … in Their Own Words."
Operation Gratitude will celebrate a significant milestone that
day, too. Its 350,000th care package, the contents of which will
remain a secret until the moment the box hits the packing line,
will be packed.
The last three milestone Operation Gratitude care packages
contained the keys to new Dodge or Jeep vehicles.
Operation Gratitude accepts care package donations all year, but
with the recent postal rate increases, Bill Van Trump, development
director, is encouraging supporters to donate funds to pay postage
costs, rather than purchase items for the packages.
"We have been extremely fortunate to receive very generous
product donations from our corporate sponsors this year," Van Trump
said. "Our biggest needs now are funds and personal, hand-written
letters."
Operation Gratitude, which annually sends thousands of care
packages to deployed servicemembers, is a supporter of America
Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens
and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at
home and abroad.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals,
groups and organizations that are helping support the troops,
visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America
Supports You directly connects military members to the support of
the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their
quest to find meaningful ways to support the military
community.
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