Dear readers, I know as much as you do
This community will never cease to amaze me. All it takes is one
article and people come out of the woodwork with unprecedented
support for their neighbors. It is commendable, uplifting and a tad
daunting all at once.
While I am encouraged by the dozens of e-mails and phone calls I
have received asking for more information on how to send care
packages to the troops, I must ask for a cease fire, as I have no
magic solution.
In the past two articles I wrote on the subject, I gave every
piece of information I had on how to get care packages to our troops
overseas. As I reported, military officials have said no packages
will be delivered without a specific name and address. And
furthermore, military officials will not release a list of names and
addresses for well-wishers who have a school, cub scout or
neighborhood care package project.
Contrary to popular belief, I do not have a secret list of service
men and women and their locations overseas and really can’t help you
get those shoeboxes to our soldiers.
I understand this is frustrating to those who want to help, but I
have to imagine the military has good reason for their strict rules.
They have a very good reason.
Marine Capt. Joshua Smith at Camp Pendleton said they ask people
to refrain from sending unsolicited care packages because it creates
a backlog of gifts and goods that slows the entire postal process, he
said.
“With all the mail and all of the packages, it is making it much
slower for the Marines and sailors and soldiers to get mail from
their families,” Smith said. “And frankly, they don’t have the
ability to move on with all of it.”
Smith suggested well-wishers slightly shift their focus from the
troops’ present condition and think about what they will be coming
home to. Many of the troops’ families are struggling on base, trying
to make ends meet while their bread winner is away at war, he said.
“They are going to be coming home at some point, and it would be
better to provide the families with things they need right now to
make that transition easier,” he said.
The request to limit care packages is not from a desire not to
have people help out, but it would be more constructive to modify
that charitable spirit, he said. There are many organizations in
Southern California designed specifically to pool resources, in the
most efficient way possible right now, to help our military
personnel.
For those who would like to get in touch with those organizations,
you can start by calling the Camp Pendleton Volunteer Office at (760)
725-6637 or (760) 725-9052.
As heartwarming as it is to receive dozens of phone calls and
e-mails from generous residents, and as much as I would love to offer
more help or information, I am spent. That’s all I’ve got. You know
as much as I do. Sorry.
If you are still determined to get care packages to Iraq, might I
suggest working through local networks such as churches, schools,
bulletin boards at senior centers or hospitals for names and phone
numbers of families with loved ones overseas. If they wish, they can
share with you a specific name and address, and you can get those
packages off in the mail.
I know there is a Web site that invites any and all residents to
participate in discussions about the city at: groups.yahoo.com/
groups/CostaMesaCA. Perhaps you could log on and solicit contact
information for soldiers for your charitable cause.
Those are my suggestions. I am sorry I can’t do more. If I could,
I would take a hiatus and devote a chunk of my time to all the
worthwhile causes I come across in this job.
But I can’t because a) it would be considered a conflict of
interests and b) I would not have enough time to actually do my job.
I hope you understand and find a way to make your contributions
felt.
* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
and covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275
or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.
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