~ This account is submitted by an IT Business Analyst from Symetra Financial.
Last night I had the privilege of having dinner with the mom of one of the soldiers who received packages from the A Little Bit of Home project. Donna had told her son Ryan that she had a friend who was working on a project with her company to collect things to send to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and that he would be receiving a package from us as part of the project.
Well, last Saturday the supply supervisor who also is the mail distributor for Ryan’s unit ordered “Pvt. Ryan” to help distribute the mail. A little puzzled he asked why me? “I don’t know who you know that cares that much about you but I am not carrying nine hulking heavy boxes to your tent! If you want them you can certainly help carry them!” The conversation peaked the interest of all those around him so Ryan had plenty of help carrying his 9 large heavy boxes. As Donna described it “Ryan sounded like a 9 year old kid on Christmas morning who got everything they had asked Santa for and then some.”
Some of Ryan’s comments were: “I can’t believe there are people who don’t know me from Adam that would care to send such cool stuff.” “Everyone in my unit is so excited they can now drink their morning coffee without sand.” (Several of the boxes he received had the Starbucks mugs). “Mom, the last 2 weeks have been really, really hard and very intense – these packages could not have arrived at a better time – you wouldn’t believe what it did for the moral of my unit.” “Beef jerky and cookies – best meal I’ve had since I left home.” I could go on and on . . .
Donna must have said to me at least 10 times last night “Did I mention how astounded Ryan and his unit were that total strangers cared so much and how much receiving those packages meant to Ryan, his unit and me his mom.” I know it certainly made me realize all the time and energy spent completing customs forms, packing boxes, moving boxes and getting boxes to the post office was very much worth every minute of time and every achy muscle.
To the CIC and those who helped tirelessly with the packing thank you from “Pvt. Ryan”, his unit and from me for all your time and effort given to this project.