From time to time, when you are involved in sending care packages to our deployed troops, you receive feedback in the form of a letter, post card or email. Some of the stories are amusing, heartwarming, and even moving. I would like to share some of these; however, I also wish to protect the identity of these individuals. Names and other identifying details will be omitted.
Artists Show Their Colors
I posted yesterday about the upcoming Ziggurat Con in Iraq. This was announced on the E.N. World news site, and I hope that gamer response is fairly high. I encourage everyone to show their appreciation for the troops who are putting their lives on the line every day. This is not about whether you are for or against our situation in Iraq, it is about the men and women living over there in harm’s way.
Knowing that a number of people are likely to send books and dice, I wanted to explore the door prize option. I am collecting funds from friends and family to purchase t-shirts to send over. I have asked for assistance from the artists in the role-playing game industry in the form of artwork we can print on the t-shirts. Response has been very good! Thank you so much to these great people willing to help with this cause. I’m gathering the art, but now I’ve got to have the funds to get more of these shirts to our soldiers. A mere $10.00 will pay for the shirt, taxes and help cover the cost of shipping it. If you are interested in donating to fund these shirts, please contact me. I do accept PayPal. I am all ready sending shirts, but every donation means one more can be added.
You can also send things to our soldiers yourself. Please read up on the Military Mailing Restrictions and on the Customs Forms required. It does involve some hoop-jumping, but when you consider that you are shipping a box into an occupied terriorty, it makes sense. There are some greatly helpful instructions here.
If the idea of dealing with shipping and customs is too much for you, you can also go to an organization that sends pre-built packages for you. One such web site is Treat Any Soldier, and they have numerous options to choose from.
Support Our Gaming Troops
It may be a surprise to some, but many of our men and women in the Armed Forces are role-playing gamers. The first known game convention in an “occupied zone” takes place on June 9th, 2007. It will be known as Ziggurat Con and is open to all allied military personnel and civilian contractors in Iraq.
Please do your part and support the troops in a bit of morale building. It sounds as if they can use books, dice and gaming items to use in the games and as door prizes.
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