Christmas 2007 may be over but Bear Lake keeps on giving! Christmas In Bear Lake 2008 second weekend in December!

SHOW OUR MILITARY WE CARE
The Bear Lake Promoters are spearheading a local drive to collect items for shipment to our troops in Iraq.  The first shipment will be as soon as we have items to send and will be on-going.  After that date, we will continue to send, or you, as individuals, can use the addresses below to send items on your own.  Please contact Pauline Jaquish at 231-864-3766 or pjaquish@coslink.net for mailing instructions, customs documents required. 

To contact other soldiers see the website www.anysoldier.com
This is an exceptional sight!

Our troops appreciate everything that is sent to them.  They especially appreciate letters of support and encouragement.   Please take time to send a letter a week to one of the addresses below, it will mean a lot to that young marine/soldier a long way from home.  To send directly to the soldier/marine listed, remove (Attn. Any Soldier/Marine).

2Lt. Michael Carvelli (Attn. Any Soldier) A Co. 173rd STB FOB Khogyani APO AE 09354	Lulu Tapia (Attn. Any Airman) CSTC – A Camp Phoenix APO AE 09320	Sgt. Janel Goss (Attn. Any Soldier) 13th CSSB 403rd ICTC LSA Anaconda APO AE 09391
1st Sgt Raquel R. Painter (Attn. Any Marine) CLB-8 HQ Co.  Unit 73760 FPO AE 09509-3706	Capt. Richard Alcabes (Attn. Any Marine) HMLA 169 S-5 Unit 42055 FPO AP 96426-2055	Kara Walker (Attn. Any Sailor) ARSIC - S RCAC/FOB Lindsey APO AE 09355

PARTIAL LISTING OF NEEDED ITEMS
NOTE:  No homemade food items.  Factory packaged food stuff only.  Clothing items should be cotton, melted material on burn victims is critical.  Postal regulations do not permit us to mail aerosol products or alcohol-based items like perfumes, aftershave, hairspray, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial gel, lighters, matches, butane, cleaning agents, detergents, fingernail polish or remover, flea collars, DEET and most bug sprays.

Toothbrushes, reg. & travel Toothpaste/Dental floss Roll-on, solid or stick deodorant Bath & body wash/ bar soap Zip lock bags/packing tape/pens/markers Boot Insoles Shampoo/conditioner Jockey Shorts/shower shoes  Lip Balm/Q-tips/Bobbie Pins Foot Powder/Band Aids Razors/Mach 3 refills Lotions/air fresheners Shaving gel/ cough drops Writing paper & envelopes  (no stamps needed) All occasion cards to be mailed back home, ie, birthday,anniv. Used DVD’s/magazines Tampons/pantiliners/etc Heavy close fitting sunglasses Black calf length boot socks White athletic socks/gloves Notebooks/ Music CD’s

Powdered drink mixes Kool Aid, Crystal Lite, Gatorade Hot chocolate mix/ Protein Bars Healthy Snacks/Oreos Wheat thins/crackers/Sunflower seeds Fruit Cups/Fruit Snacks Tuna or Chicken Snack Paks Chocolate candy (winter only) Beef Jerky/Slim Jims Cup of Noodles/Ramen Noodles Hard candy/peanuts/pretzels Coffee/creamer/teas/Peanut M&M’s Little Debbie Snacks/gum Skittles/Starburst candy AT&T phone cards Non-lithium AA, AAA, C&D Batteries Beanie Babies to give the kids Microwave popcorn & other foods Playing cards/nail files/combs Games/puzzles/books Black knitted caps

Each package will cost $8.95 to mail.  Monetary contributions are welcome. Funds will be used for postage, packing supplies or Care Package contents.

Items may be dropped off anytime at our Business Partners:  Dollar General and Honor State Bank, Bear Lake; or Ringel Real Estate & Auctions, Manistee;Items may also be dropped off at the home of Gloria Edwards.  Thank you for your support. We have been asked, “When are you going to quit sending packages?”  I will answer that with this email we received on Nov. 30.
“Bear Lake Promoters:  I would like to thank you personally, for your efforts.  The connection between the Military, its Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines and mail call is one with a long history.  Because of you, and your group, I was blessed with a very rich moment, that moment, in which a Marine received his or her mail, and the smile on their face that comes from a connection with home.  While none of my Marines hail from Bear Lake, I refer to the kinship of home that we all share as Americans.  Home means different things to different people.  Receiving packages like the ones my Marines received, reminds everyone individually why we serve, and it makes our absence from our homes more bearable.
God bless you, and your organization.  I would like to pass back to you that it is appreciated, and that you have made an old Gunnery Sergeant and his Marines holiday season a little brighter, and our smiles a little broader.
Semper Fidelis,
Gunnery Sergeant David L. Loftin
We won’t quit.  As long as there are items to send and funds to send them, we will continue to mail Care Packages to our troops.  Contributions can be dropped off at the home of Carver and Gloria Edwards on the corner of  Wise  & Main, Bear Lake, or mailed to Box 224, Bear Lake, MI 49614.  Anyone wishing to mail letters or cards and need a list of names may contact Pauline at pjaquish@coslink.net  .  I have received letters and emails from a lady Marine and believe me, it’s very exciting to see those letters in the mail!
Our thanks to everyone who has been a part of the Care Package project.  Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
 Gloria and Pauline

The Bear Lake Promoters is a not for profit group of local businesses, community affiliations, service clubs and residents who have a simple

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PO Box 320, Bear Lake, MI 49614
(231) 864-2686

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