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Aug. 13th, 2008 @ 07:49 am Wakey wakey!
Hey hey hey, no lethargy!

I have an interesting thing going on. Some friends of mine own their own record store, and the wife happens to be the one who runs my local stitch 'n bitch. She has been in the know about this group and has agreed to put a little collection box for hotel type items and other little things in the store.

I'm thinking this might be a great way to approach this project. Stores won't donate stuff to us because we aren't of the proper tax situation (yet). And it's exhausting for us to try and collect everything. But, maybe if we make little yellow boxes with "Operation Bag of Home" signs, togther with a little description of what we do...maybe stores would be willing to just have that up at the info desk. We would ship everything to riseabove or whomever else would be shipping stuff so people would just be able to drop things in and feel like they did their good deed for the day. This could be particularly effective at stores that sell travel-sized items. People could maybe see the box and go and buy a couple dollars worth of stuff, which could mean enough stuffing to fill a bag for us.

What do you think?
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Jul. 29th, 2008 @ 01:30 pm Updates!
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I received 3 boxes full of stuffing! They arrived while I was in San Diego last week.

YAY! Thanks guys!



I will get to filling the 20 bags I have left this week and hopefully have them ready to send out on Thursday, I may wait for the lip balm ("Lip Bomb") to arrive first, but we'll see how much STUFF I've got, I have a feeling I will have more than enough!


The next shipment of bags should be arriving within a week, 2 at the most (Canadian Postal Service from east coast Canada to USA.... stinks...!) and then we'll be ready for the next 50!

So if anyone's got gift cards laying around, or was thinking of sending some stuffing, there'll never be anything that doesn't get used... send away!


questions, comments, concerns... operationboh@yahoo . com


Thanks!

-Chris/riseabove
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Jul. 22nd, 2008 @ 06:48 pm On Vacation!
Current Location: houston/bush airport!
Current Music: between the lines, sara bareilles
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Hey gang -

I have about 5 boxes on the way to my apartment as we speak so thanks SO MUCH! Once I get all the loot, and pack the bags up and send them off I will let you know how much I have left over and what else will be needed for the next shipment of bags. My mom out on East Coast Canada is working on the next batch of 50 bags, so I'm hoping we can get them filled and completely out by the end of September! I think this is a reasonable goal.


If you email operationboh@yahoo. com and you don't get a reply this week, please know that I am on vacation. It has been an EXTREMELY trying year for me, and I'm in desperate need to get away from my life for a little while, so my sis (and fellow operationboh'er!) [info]mausdriver and I are headed to San Diego for some sun and fun! I'm likely not going to check the community or the community email address until I return, Monday. So be patient if you email and don't get a reply.

([info]joriejc please direct people to this post if they say they've emailed and haven't gotten a response! Thanks!)
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Jul. 18th, 2008 @ 09:43 pm Web masters?
Hey folks,

I think this charity more than anything would benefit from a real live website. That way we could really publicize ourselves, possibly pursue 501C3 or whatever it's called status, and the whole shebang. If anyone knows how to make a site and would be willing to do so....I think that is the fastest route for growth.

Thoughts? :)
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Jul. 12th, 2008 @ 09:41 pm Key Items
Current Mood: hopeful
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We've taken care of some of the key items, the lip balm and the drink mixes are on their way. Various hotel items are in the mail as well. One key thing is missing - I like to put hand sanitizer in EVERY bag, and the last shipment of the homemade Operation Bag of Home logo (THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH!) bottles have all been sent overseas.

Is there anyone willing to buy some of those tiny bottles (you can get them for under a buck at Target, I know for sure) and send them? Even if you can only send 5, or 10... I need about 20, but any of them will be a big help. Shipping is a little expensive, even though it's fixed rate for the military boxes I have, but it does add up so I can't really afford a full extra 20$ for stuff, though I'd really like to be able to!


Anyway, let me know here, or at the email: operationboh@yahoo . com if you can help with the sanitizer!


Thanks in advance!


-Chriss/riseabove
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Jul. 12th, 2008 @ 09:35 pm Update
Current Mood: hopeful
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Well! We've got three or four boxes of stuffing on the way to my house! With the bit of supplies I have left over from the last shipment, I may have enough to stuff the 20 remaining bags I have and have left overs!

I will be emailing my mother to ask for another shipment of 50 bags, when we fill em we fill em - thanks to everyone helping out, and just remember, let me know via email (operationboh@yahoo.com) when you need the mailing address!


Thanks a bunch, gang! Keep it up!


-Chriss/riseabove
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Jul. 10th, 2008 @ 08:35 pm Pacing ourselves
Welcome, all who have recently joined this group.

Given the little lapse that this project has experienced over the last few months, we know and so appreciate those of you who have said that you are willing to help with this project. I would like to encourage you all to work together to divide up enough items to fill the 30 bags that [info]riseabove has ready right now. Our original goal at the beginning of the year was to be able to ship out 50 filled bags a month...this is a HUGE goal, as we have become very well aware of (!), but we have also learned that pacing ourselves is important. Instead of trying to donate everything for one month, space it out and maybe choose one item that you want to donate 25 of.

Every little bit most certainly is deeply appreciated, but we don't want any one person to feel the burden of this project. Let's work together so that small efforts add up to one great result :)

Please feel free to introduce yourselves, make recommendations, or whatever else, and remember, any questions, including where to send items, can be directed to operationboh@yahoo.com.

Thanks :)
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Jul. 10th, 2008 @ 08:07 am Travel doo-dads
Another idea -- instead of having to buy items, if you do a lot of traveling, we could use those hotel shampoos and soaps as stuffing -- you get the fun of vacation and the fun of donating, all in one fell swoop! :)
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Jul. 9th, 2008 @ 12:11 pm We'll try this out!
Alright, what we are going to try to do is run a little bit of a more clear game plan so that we are not all flailing about :) So, the way I see it, we have 12 active members right now (not counting [info]ugottafriend as she is under the weather) plus [info]riseabove and me. 14 people.

Here is our wishlist of stuffing items, narrowed down to 6 items (for 12 people to split up -- adding me and anyone else to this contribution list will only help):

-toothpastes and toothbrushes
-chapstick
-VERY SMALL packs of wet ones wipes
-q-tips
-sunscreen
-koolaid/gatorade/propel individual water bottle drink mix powder pouches: [info]necrotic_prince

What I would like to do is have 2 people volunteer to gather each of these items. Work out with each other how you are going to divide up the items, but ideally, if you could split it so that each of you ship 25 of the item, that would be great. 25 of any of these items will probably be $20 or less if you can find a good discount store. Remember, we're talking trial size.

We won't have to keep these assignments forever, but at least for the next little while to see how it works.

Does this help? Let us know...I'll record volunteers as we get them.
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Jul. 8th, 2008 @ 08:18 pm Some ideas...we need feedback!
Hi Everyone,

Per the last post here, we all have been really letting this community down, and on a more personal basis, we've left [info]riseabove holding the empty bag, if you will.

What can we do to get the ball rolling organizationally? I was thinking that perhaps the problem is we all feel like we need to do everything, and that task becomes so daunting that we just get stuck and end up doing nothing.

I had some ideas that might help solve that problem. Maybe people buddy up every month and work in twos on different goals. Two people could work on collecting wet ones and shipping them to riseabove, 2 people could work on making bags, etc...and we could switch roles if people got tired of their job.

It feels like this idea could spread like wildfire if we could just get things started. We got off to a great start but we now have gone several months without much going on.

Let's get rolling, and by next Memorial Day, let's have this be a thriving charity!
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May. 1st, 2008 @ 06:51 pm My first post and I've been here so long...

Hi!  I've been a member here for a long time, and knit for Homespun Helpers (although I haven't been there in a while either).  I have some questions and have been looking around this site, but can't seem to find any answers, so:

*What dimensions are you looking for in a bag?
*What colors/fibers are the best?  I have a lot of Red Heart camo yarn.  Would that be ok?
*Do you want the bags lined, or just tightly knit/crocheted?

Thanks!
~Kristina

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Mar. 30th, 2008 @ 12:01 am FIFTY TWO BAGS!
Current Mood: accomplished
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Whew, it's almost the end of the month and I finally found time tonight to upload the pictures for Operation: Bag of Home!


FIFTY TWO bags!

Sorry the pics are somewhat blurry and small, I'm having issues with my camera lately.

As of this moment, 2 boxes, totally 37 bags for troops are on their way to two different units headed by two different female USAmy Sergeants both stationed in Iraq. They both specifically requested sanitary needs so I thought it was perfect!

I found them through www.anysoldier.org so that's pretty cool.

The last box, with the remaining 15 bags is being taken to the post office on Monday after my classes let out, and they will be going to some Marines in Afghanistan!



Thanks!

( Pics under here! )
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Mar. 1st, 2008 @ 05:30 pm I posted this over at Homespun Helpers
But I know a lot of you aren't over there.

However, I was going to make a post similar to that which riseabove made earlier today -- she just beat me to the punch.

What I would like to do is establish here a game plan of how this problem can be avoided in the future. Although a fix for this batch would be great, i want to make sure a) that no one gets to feeling let down and b) that this project grows.

We need to have a system so that we always have a way to get stuff and so that plan can grow as we do. You know there's going to be a lot of interest in doing things for the troop with Memorial Day, July 4th, etc...we could really step up and allow a lot of people to send care packages to our men and women overseas -- but the fact that we are so slow to get going is a baaaaad sign.

I have put up a challenge over at homespun helpers that if i don't see someone(s) take charge and a game plan by the end of the weekend, I am ending all "bag" projects because it's not worth people getting their feelings hurt, as far as I'm concerned. Since I'm only co-mod here and since riseabove has done a lot more than me, I'm not going to make that call. However, I do think we need to get this system down, and quickly.

My 2ยข.
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Mar. 1st, 2008 @ 01:13 pm Where did you all go?
Current Mood: aggravated
What's happened? We had all of this support and now there's nothing!


I've got two boxes of 48 bags coming to me within the next 20 days. One box will be here probably on Monday.


And I don't have 500$ to spend on stuffing nearly 100 bags. I really don't. There's no way I can this all by myself.


I feel like I keep asking and I'm getting nothing. Somebody please step up to the plate. I need stuffing or at least money to buy supplies to stuff the bags with. =\
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Feb. 15th, 2008 @ 03:19 pm In Need!
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Alright! Thanks to our wonderful member [info]ugottafriend for sending us all those bottles of hand sanitizers; they arrived this morning!!!


I should be receiving my February order of 50 bags any day now, and I will not be able to purchase everything to fill them. I will be able to probably buy a good 3rd to half the stuffings, but I will need some help!

Where are all my stuffers? :)


Let me know if you've got candies or goods to send and email ( operationboh@yahoo.com ) if you need the mailing address!

Thanks much!!
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Feb. 2nd, 2008 @ 06:26 pm 48 bottles of hand sanitizer for the troops
Sorry...I couldn't get the picture to load, so here's the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugottafriend/2237994650
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Feb. 1st, 2008 @ 09:31 pm Hey hey hey
Where did everybody go???

Okay, just because we had a great January doesn't mean we can leave off now. <lj user = riseabove> is I think in the process of adopting every available person in Iraq and Afghanistan, so we have to keep making bags and sending non-crafted items to our point people!!

Speaking of point people, if you have any questions during this coming month, try to hit me up rather than our other fearless mod, as she has asked me to step up a bit for her. You can e-mail the group's e-mail address, which I swear I will try to remember to check, or just leave a comment for me here or over at <lj user = 3000in2007>. Okay?

Let's get cracking! How about 100 filled bags by March 1st??
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Jan. 23rd, 2008 @ 06:06 pm 1st Shipment!
Current Mood: cheerful
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Alright! The first shipment is ready to send out! I will be taking it to the post office tomorrow.


FIFTY BAGS!


Thank you SO much to the people who sent their prototypes, and the two people who sent boxes full of treats.

With the bags from my mother, the treats from you all, and the monetary donation from a friend of my mother's, I put in another 50$ worth of goodies and will spend about 18$ tomorrow to ship the two boxes.

I'm not sure I can do 70$ worth every month to get 50 bags out, but if I split it up more (I wanted to send the first 50 to the same place, the new troop of Marines I just pledged to help since they are in major need of hygiene products) then it'll be much easier on my finances for sure.


I've also inquired at my local Target and they are going to grant me with a gift card to the store. I have no idea how much it will be I will find out tomorrow or Friday but wow that's exciting!!! That will really help out a LOT!


THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE! Keep 'em coming, every little bit helps!

( bags under here! )
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Jan. 17th, 2008 @ 08:08 pm A Suggestion
Current Mood: uncomfortable
Current Music: There Is No Arizona -- Jamie O'Neil
Okay, so, I'm new here and I'm not sure what this group has been focusing on lately. The toiletries are the obvious ones and I'm going to work on that this weekend. I have an idea, and I hope I'm not treading on any toes by making it. 

Have we thought of putting any more fanciful comforts in the bag? 

Books to keep their mind of the fighting when there is downtime? Stationary, perhaps, to write letters home to loved ones? Maybe some prepaid envelopes to make it extra convenient for them to stay in touch with those at home who are worried about them? A notebook to write down their thoughts? 

Just a suggestion. 
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Jan. 14th, 2008 @ 10:34 am Another Awesome Update!
Current Mood: excited
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My husband, for those that don't know, is deployed right now. I contacted one of the other wives with connections and she is going to e-mail me the commanders' mailing addresses for I believe the entire brigade (ok that's about 3600 people total)! WE WILL NEVER RUN OUT OF TROOPS TO SEND TO hahaha... Wow! She just called and left me a voicemail about it.


Super fantastic!


:)


-Chriss.
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