Our Soldiers Need Supplies!

Today, in Laurens blog she has pictures of the weekly swap meet that they are holding in their camp area in Iraq. We need to keep these soldiers in supplies, folks! Here is an excerpt from Laurens moms blog-dylns blog :

A lot of people have asked if they can send anything to help out Lauren and her unit over there so I am putting that info up for you today. Please read all of this information carefully so that anything you send will actually get to people who need it. Including items that are not allowed or not having the address exactly correct could result in your package never getting there at all.

First the address:
Operation SOAP
345 Combat Support Hospital, ICW
Unit #73325
APO, AE 09333-3325

Operation SOAP is a way for you to be able to help the patients in their hospital and will also help supply needs for the soldiers caring for them. Please include a note addressed to "Lauren" and referring to this post, so that they all know that you are a reader of this blog or hers.

First some very specific things they can use right away - these are needed in limited amounts, so please leave a comment if you are supplying one of these items and also check the comments to make sure that they are still needed.

3 shower mats
3 shower curtains
5 bicycle bells - those metal kind that attach to the handle bar - nothing that needs batteries.

These are for patients to use as call buttons.All kinds of toiletries for both men and women. They do have some of this available in the PX, but quantities and variety are very limited. They would all enjoy some nice name brand items from back home.
ShampooConditionerSoap,
Body Wash
Deodorant
Lotion
Shaving supplies
Toothpaste and Toothbrushes
Lip Balm
Candy [not stuff that will melt in the heat]
Snacks [long shelf life is better]
shelf stable microwavable foods

What you cannot send:
anything with pork in it
explosives, including fireworks
large amounts of religious material [i.e. 1 bible is ok, 10 is not]
alcoholic beverages
porn

Boxes should be free of extraneous markings and if reused all info not pertaining to this shipment should be blacked out or covered with opaque tape. You can get flat rate boxes for free from the postal service - they will even send them to you - there is a special APO box that is $10.95 to ship regardless of weight. There are also other Priority Mail boxes available for free.

Lets get some supplies out to these soldiers, folks! Its hot in the desert and they need some relief!!