Cheer up a British soldier

I have talked a lot about how much I enjoy receiving mail. I think there is nothing better than receiving a care package from back home filled with all the things I love and miss.

When we were in the US last month, we packed a box for my dad which included his favorite snacks, magazines and dvds. This package, which took a little bit of thought and a couple hours out of my day to pack and send, really cheered my dad up.

Filling the box with beef jerky and past copies of The Economist reminded me of the first Gulf War, when we used to pack care packages and write letters to soldiers when I was in elementary school. I remember telling my teacher that I didn’t know what to write to them. Mrs. Hickman told me to talk about what I was learning in school and how grateful I was to be going to school, because of course the soldiers were to thank for that.

I wasn’t so grateful and instead wrote letters to my dad (who was also serving in the Gulf War). I told him all about what was going on with the family and what tv shows I was currently watching. Most of my letters ended with, “Ok, gotta go. Math class is almost over.”

I was thinking about this last Monday on my way to work. It is almost Veterans Day (or Remembrance Day as it is known in England) and the red poppies have started appearing on coats, hats, posters; white-haired men with sloping shoulders stand outside my station, holding little red buckets, asking for donations in exchange for a red poppy of my own.

I thought about the Christmas presents I need to buy and whether or not we’d put up a real tree this year. I made a mental note to mail my cards by December 10th since I missed the deadline last year. And then I thought about the soldiers, how so many will be deployed over the holidays and just how easy it is to forget about them.

Last year I contacted the one charity I could find in the UK that sent care packages to British soldiers overseas. After receiving a less than helpful response asking for a monetary donation instead of my time, I gave up.

So last week I decided to really do something this year. I asked friends and coworkers if they knew of any British soldiers currently deployed. I researched organizations and groups on facebook. I randomly sent out messages to soldiers. And one by one, they responded. Some are overseas but are returning before Christmas. Some are back home and won’t be going back until the new year. All of them are grateful and touched and willing to help in any way they can.

Just reading their appreciative emails made me tear up. Many wrote about their American counterparts receiving care packages from their hometowns, youth groups, churches, etc and how the British soldiers mostly just get mail from their loved ones.

One soldier wrote me a long message about how he’s been in Afghanistan three times and will be going for a fourth tour next year. Luckily he’ll be home this Christmas but his friend won’t and could I contact his friend?

I have spent the past week compiling a mailing list for British soldiers and I’m not really sure how big this project will get. I am in the process of writing up a list of all the things I think they might like. I know I can’t send a care package to every soldier but I intend to send a few care packages to each platoon with snacks, magazines, dvds, and PG tips tea, to name a few. And maybe I’ll throw in some Santa hats for good measure.

But I want every soldier to receive a card and this is where I hope you will come in. I’ve told a few friends about this and I have gotten the following questions/comments:

If you don’t know of any British soldiers, why not just send cards to American soldiers?
Because I know there are many, many organizations doing this very thing in the US – from book clubs to boy scout troops. And while I am American, I live in England and I want to do something to help a bit closer to home, my home for now.

I don’t agree with the war.
And I’m pretty sure lots of these soldiers don’t either. But these soldiers are just doing their jobs and sending a Christmas card to a soldier doesn’t mean you are supporting the war. You’re offering a little bit of holiday cheer to a soldier who has made sacrifices for you and me, no matter what you might think.

With the recent financial situation, I can’t really afford to get involved.
I really hate asking people to get involved in things. I have been dragged along to Mary Kay/Avon parties and asked to support friends and family in charity events. I know that it is awkward to ask for help. If you can’t help this year, I totally understand.  But if you’re planning on sending me a card this year, please take that card, write a message to a soldier and pass it on to me for this project. I will be more touched about that than I would be if I received the card personally.

What would I write in this card?
It’s entirely up to you. My message will go something like this – thank you, thank you, thank you.

I’ll probably leave off the bit about math class being almost over.

If you’d like to write a Christmas card, please email me for more information at cheerupasoldier@gmail.com