We are a group of American citizens who have a common goal to support our troops who defend our way of life by putting their own lives on the line every day. The Brookings-Harbor Red Shirts originally formed as a group of friends who banded together and decided to meet and to wear our red shirts every Friday to show our  support for our sons and daughters in the military.

We began this small gathering at the end of June in 2006. During our second meeting we were talking about our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and thought it would be a good idea if we all donated a dollar or two each week and when we had enough money saved we would buy a military phone card and send it to a soldier; we wanted to do more than just wear our red shirts.

It’s incredible what freedom allows American citizens to do when they feel a passion for something. Soon we were getting questions from visiting vacationers and other non group members who saw all our red shirts and asked if we were a motorcycle club. When we explained who we were and our purpose for being together we were able to generate even more interest in the Red Shirts.

We recommend to like-minded individuals to start your own red shirt group in your own cities and towns. You can choose your own meeting place, a church, a school, a club, a lounge. We’re in America, and we have the freedom to choose, and we can thank our veterans and our soldiers for that. We get addresses of some of our local troops and we support them by communicating and also by sending care packages to them. We also adopt  groups or individual soldiers with whom we communicate  regularly and to whom we also send packages on a regular basis. Sometimes we go to the website anysoldier.com and we check through all the military groups, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, and find troops to support.

We mail most our items in USPS flat rate boxes that cost just 12.95 when mailing to an APO or FPO number.  You can go to the USPS website and get these flat rate boxes for FREE. We do not abuse this privilege, and order only the boxes that we need and use. Troops don’t mind if you send them magazines you have around the house, or books etc. We do not send them used clothes and items made with pork are not permitted.

The Brookings-Harbor Red Shirts mission has been well received at our local businesses where we purchase items to send. We have simply explained who we are and what we are doing, and the community always responds with their support. People are basically generous and have big hearts, and are willing to do whatever they can to help support our troops. We want our group and our purpose to continue until we see all of our troops in harms way back home again. We affirm to wear our red shirts every Friday and we affirm that every donation will go to support our troops.

As of June 18, 2011 we have sent 5,144 care packages filled with food, hygiene, comfort items, pictures of our beautiful coast and letters of support to our troops.  We have a Pay Pal link to our web page for those of you who have no local means of supporting our troops and wish to give them a gift. We have had the pleasure of welcoming home a number of our local troops after their tours in Iraq or Afghanistan and we have had emails and letters from a many more to whom we have sent packages. These letters and emails are special and heartwarming because the troops have so much to do and still they take time to thank us for caring and sending them things. We have also had the heartbreak of hearing of the death and injuries our troops sustain; for all of our troops, we continue to pray.

The year 2010 and the beginning of 2011 has seen the Red Shirts supporting several hospitals and MASH type units in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are directing as much support to our wounded warriors as we can, as many return back to their jobs after receiving medical treatment or operations.

Our mission for the Brookings-Harbor Red Shirts remains simply to support our troops in any way we can; first, by making others aware by wearing our red shirts every Friday, and second by sending requested items to our troops every week. All donations are used to purchase and send items to our Soldiers. We have over 30 members and my other citizens who help us to pack, ship and help with  sponsored events. We try to keep everything simple, we support our troops, anyone can donate and we send care packages bi-monthly as funds permit.

We are all Americans and live and enjoy our freedom and liberty because our military goes before us. Check out our web page our town and our flag.

AMERICA, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Signed, Frank Muller

The Brookings - Harbor Red Shirts 

      www.brookings-harbor-redshirts.org

We are a registered Domestic Non-Profit Corporation with the State of Oregon  # 404592-99

I.R.S. EIN 71-1022032