POST OFFICE CREW JOINS RED SHIRT GROUP'S EFFORT

We've come a long way since this article made the paper

Published: October 18, 2006


 

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Red Shirt Friday Group members Carroll Norris, Ron Hughes, Gretchen Hardie, Frank Muller and Sandy Jojo send out another load of packages.
The Pilot/Ryn Gargulinski

By Ryn Gargulinski

Pilot staff writer

 

While American soldiers overseas may be surprised by the goodies they receive from the Brookings Harbor Red Shirt Group, the group itself was recently in for a surprise of its own.

When they showed up to send out their usual Friday morning boxes at the Brookings Post Office, the post office employees came out wearing red shirts.

Not only that, but the workers also handed over three mail bins piled with donations, postcards, letters and even stuffed animals as a mini Mickey Mouse peeked above one of the rims.

"It's really heartwarming," said Red Shirt Group member Sandy Jojo – referring to both the post office's donation and the group's mission to support the troops.

"What's more heartwarming is watching them pack boxes at their meetings. It's like a beehive."

And the hive keeps getting busier.

Friday the group spent $243 in postage to send out 30 boxes – up from their usual six to 16.

This brings their grand total to 166 boxes sent out since they began in June.

"That's 166 boxes in three and a half months," Muller emphasized.

Some of the more unusual donations of late include 50 handmade rosaries, 850 decks of cards from Lucky 7 Casino and six cans of pork and beans.

Hughes explained why the pork and beans were considered unable.

"We can't send pork," he said.

Muller mentioned they have also been receiving discounts from Grocery Outlet and the Dollar Tree, where they stock up on things like dozens of packets of Ramen Noodles.

But this doesn't mean they have enough stuff – or volunteers.

"We're always looking for more," Hughes said.

Folks are always invited to come helps sort and pack at their meetings, which run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday at the Voodoo Lounge.

Or one can drop donations by at that time.

Of course, wearing a red shirt on Friday is also a way to help show support.

Didn't buy a red shirt yet?

The group now has buttons for sale, at $3 each, that proclaim "Red Shirt Friday Group."

Proceeds, of course, go to buy more stuff to send more boxes.

"The community has been wonderful," Hughes said.

 

Special Delivery

By Ryn Gargulinski

Pilot staff writer

 

It's 112 degrees in a blistering, humid tent. Sweat skids down the neck. Bugs scuttle in the muck.

Something crawls into a boot.

No, it's not a nightmare. It's just a day in the life of an American soldier in Iraq.

It is a day that is thankfully enhanced, the soldiers say, by the dozens of care packages they've been receiving from the Brookings-Harbor Red Shirt Friday Group.

Since late June, the group has sent out 51 boxes, anywhere from six to 16 every Friday from the Brookings post office, according to group member Frank Muller.

They have doled out $540 worth of phone cards, $413 worth of postage, $260 worth of necessary items and huge piles of goods donated by various members of their group.

He said the total so far is something like $2,000 worth of items.

"We started with five people and last Friday we had 21," said group member Ron Hughes. "We started because all we want to do is support our troops."

The goods they've sent have ranged from crossword puzzles to peanut butter – even to a chunk of driftwood.

"I gave the piece of driftwood to Cpt. Johnson," wrote Sgt. Kevin Cox in a thank you e-mail to the group.

"He is from Oregon, says he knows where Brookings is and has been there."

Cox and his unit are stationed in east Baghdad.

Hughes, a Vietnam veteran, said he never once got a care package while he was overseas.

"I know how I was treated when I got home," he added, "and I don't want that to happen to them."

The Red Shirt Friday Group is also ensuring the soldiers' time overseas is as comfortable as it can be, Hughes said.

They get the names of troops from www.anysoldier.com and go from there.

"It has Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard," said Frank Muller, a Vietnam vet who spent his tour in Georgia training troops in radio teletype.

"We target each group, both men and women. We don't leave anyone out."

They recently learned some soldiers are training dogs – so a new item of dog treats just made the list.

Muller also mentioned how they adopt some troops, such as that of the grandson of one of their members, who get regular packages about once a month or so.

Veterinarian Jeff Tribble, who had a huge "Support our Troops" sign outside the animal hospital, donated "a whole bunch of money" for items, Muller said.

The post office, too, has been helping out by providing boxes and custom declaration forms.

"We just want to keep it going, we want people to bring stuff in," he said.

The place to bring items is the Voodoo Lounge, located at the Port of Brookings Harbor, on – when else?– Friday.

The group meets weekly around 5 p.m. Or anyone can drop things off anytime.

"We'd like to get more people to participate," Hughes said, "if they feel up to it."

For more information, contact Muller at (541) 412-7545, Hughes at (541) 661-5107 or their Web site at www.brookings-harbor-redshirts.org.