Stockings for the Troops

It’s Not Too Soon To Think About Christmas . . .

For many of our troops serving in dangerous locations, this will be the first Christmas they have spent away from their friends and family. OSOT America likes to help make their holidays a little brighter by sending each name on our list a box full of filled stockings. They have some to share, and are lovingly reminded that America has not forgotten them. This year we are in need of about 3000 stockings to be sewn. We ask that you only use the pattern we designed as it fits inside of our mailing box. If you are willing to sew some stockings, please email Nancy, and she will mail you a pattern.

The elves are in need of Christmas cards to put in the stockings. If you have a half empty box of cards laying around, please donate them. If you are missing the envelopes, sign those cards and we will add them to the letter bags we include with each stocking (we don’t use the envelope in those).

We also include new blank cards with envelopes so that the troops can mail those back home to their loved ones during the holidays.

Please bring them to the warehouse as soon as possible, the elves are getting ready!

Our head elf (otherwise known as Nancy Baier) has informed us that the stocking workshop is set up and ready to go for 2012. This is the one time per year that we allow groups to come in and help fill stockings for the troops. This coming Saturday, Sept 22nd, there is not a group scheduled, so Nancy has asked that any member wishing to help fill stockings, please email Nancy and offer your help. She will then send directions to the Stocking Workshop. It’s a lot of fun to work on this project knowing that you will be responsible for the smiles on the faces of our troops that must be away from their loved ones this holiday season.

The elves at the workshop are a bit concerned that there won’t be enough Christmas cards for the troops this year. We need blank cards with the envelopes to put in the letter bags for the

troops to mail home to their loved ones. We also need signed Christmas cards so the troops will know that we are thinking of them this holiday season. So take a few cards to work, church, school, wherever you go and ask people to sign them. These cards do not require envelopes. Please bring the cards on any packing date.

And if you’d like to put on your elf hat this week, you can volunteer at the workshop on Thursday from 10-1 or Saturday from 9-1. If you’ve been there before, you know the way. If you haven’t, please email Nancy for directions.

The busy elves are working hard to fill those stockings. Our head elf reports that even though the warehouses are closed for packing the next two weekends, members that wish to help fill stockings can do so between 10-1 on Thursdays (Oct 11 and 18) and 9-1 on Saturdays (Oct 13 and 20th). If you’ve been there before, just show up. If you need directions, please email Nancy. If you want to bring something along to help fill the stockings, we need small items that are individually wrapped-like fruit snacks, twizzlers, small packs of cookies, Rice Krispie treats, Slim Jims and beef jerky, AA or AAA batteries, new decks of playing cards. Just remember that it must fit inside of a stocking. Our stockings begin shipping on October 27th.

The Santa’s Workshop stocking team could use some help from our membership. We’ve presently packed 2,100+ stockings for this years drive and are in need of supplies in order to complete the remaining 1,900+.

If you could help us out, we’d gladly accept any and all donations from the Bakers’ Dozen list below. Please bring donations to Santa’s Workshop this Saturday if possible. Or bring them with you Oct 25th or 27th when you come to volunteer.

Know of a Group; neighbors, relatives, boyfriends, girlfriends, Boy Scout Troops / Packs, Girl Scout or Brownie Units, Church groups, office groups, Schools, sports teams, bowling teams, motorcycle clubs, service clubs, exercise clubs, etc please feel free to involve them in a quick mini drive as items are needed.

AA Batteries
New Playing Cards
Granola Bars / Rice Krispie Bars
Individual Packs of Cookies
Individually Wrapped Slim Jim’s
Fruit Snacks / Roll-Ups
Full / Theater Size Candy Bars / M&M’s
Trail Mix
Gum and Mints
Toothbrushes
Lip Balm
Cards and Letters
New CD’s or DVD’s

Last Saturday (October 27, 2012) the elves finished filling the 4000 stockings needed to send to our troops in 2012. It takes a lot of effort on the part of our members to fill these stockings. A huge thank you goes out to Nancy Baier for handling the job of Head Elf.

The first of our stockings went out the door last Saturday(October 27, 2012). The troops enjoy getting them early, they hang them to decorate their areas. Some will rip right into the treats, others save them for Christmas eve or Christmas morning. However they choose, they know that OSOT America is thinking of them this holiday season.