Let me
tell you how it all began....
When my son Jesse went to Army Basic Training I wrote to him everyday. He
wrote back asking me to write to some of his friends (he called them his Battle
Buddies) who were not getting much mail.
So I began a "letter from home" campaign and
also
became pen pals with soldiers from his
unit.
I was so excited to meet my Battle Buddies at their basic
training graduation ceremony. When Jesse was deployed to Iraq
I would send him letters and goodie packages. You know, things from a Mom to a Son,
things that I knew he would miss, appreciate and NEED! He asked me, "Mom can you
send some packages to my friends who aren't getting much mail?" And
so it began!
I started
with a couple soldiers and then before I knew it I had 17 soldiers with whom I
was corresponding and mailing goodies. I would send packages to the whole
platoon for special occasions like Easter, Valentine's Day and Christmas.
Our son was
killed in action outside of Baghdad Iraq, January 7th 2004.
We knew we
couldn't stop supporting our troops. So that's when "Packed with
Pride" began. We get names of Soldiers, Marines, Sailors or any one who
wants to be on our list.
We are so very
proud of our men and women in uniform and we want to support them the best way
we know how.
So, now when I send
a box with handiwipes, little toys, candy and other things I used to
send my son...
I
pack each box with the pride of a soldier's mom.
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"It is not the
critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man
stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The
credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is
marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who
errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms,
the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the
best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at
worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his
place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither
victory or defeat."
- Theodore
Roosevelt
