Something From Home

To the Editor:

For the past six years, I have been involved with Valentines For Troops, which facilitates a letter-writing project in the schools. Each fall, we collect contact names for units deployed overseas that year. In the course of that research this past fall, we learned of the 3/89 Cavalry Regiment deployed to Afghanistan. Their PX would not be open for at least a month after their arrival. The guys were running out of supplies they had brought. We put the word out and then went shopping. I packed a box with items that were needed, and included my e-mail address. I just wanted to know the package did arrive. Sunday morning, I received an e-mail from the Assistant Chaplain with the 3/89. His words moved me deeply.

“On behalf of all 1,000+ soldiers here, I would like to personally thank you for your contribution of Valentines For Troops. Everyone here greatly appreciates your sacrifice of time and money to make us feel more at home in this place. Some soldiers are writing thank you letters and others are donating to many programs and organizations such as yours. Though we protect the great country of America, not many people in America even think about us or the trials and tribulations we go through daily. Honestly, some of our own families have not sent things to us and you have, and for that we are forever in your debt. So we thank you for thinking of us when others do not, we thank you for being there for us when we need you most, and most of all, we thank you for supporting us....really supporting us!”

It is refreshing to know the little things we do can make a difference. Cards, letters, and care packages mean a lot to our troops and cost us so little. I deplore war; the carnage and devastation has never solved anything. While I wish we would all join hands, sing a few choruses of “Kumbaya” and just get along, I know that’s not going to happen any time soon. As long as American troops are putting themselves in harm’s way, I’ll keep helping with letter-writing and packing boxes with Chapstick, shaving cream, and Slim Jims.

In 2011, here in the land of the free, let’s work for peace and welcome home our brave.

Thanks for listening.

Laurie Borst

8 Beechwood Drive, Sandy Hook                              January 11, 2011