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MAY
2007
Even you can make a difference in a soldier’s life!
May is
Military Appreciation Month.
There are many ways to remember soldiers overseas, and show your
appreciation for them. One organization is in your own
backyard! Operation Interdependence® has been active
in Indiana for over four years! Operation Interdependence®,
or OI® for short, is a unique way for American
citizens to say thank you to a soldier overseas without
impacting the military resources.
Operation
Interdependence® (OI®), was founded in
December 2001 by Mr. Albert R. Renteria, a Marine of 26 years
service. Since its foundation Operation Interdependence®
has become the fastest growing volunteer organization in the
US. OI® is a nonprofit organization, run and
financed entirely by the American people volunteering their time
and resources, which allows one person at home to say ‘Thank
You’ directly to one person on the frontlines defending them.
Recognized by the Department of Defense, Operation
Interdependence® provides a safe and secure means of delivery to
the troops.
OI®’s
unique way of reaching the troops starts with a note from home
and grows from there. OI® supports entire units or
platoons instead of just individuals.
Another big difference
with OI® and other organizations is that one box of
c-rats® will reach 50 men and women overseas. So we
are able to reach more each month with fewer boxes, which in
turn costs less to send and still reaches more!
“We
also coordinate with every unit’s command leadership prior to
sending their first box of c-rats®! This ensures
that we are only sending c-rats® to them that can be
easily distributed through our unique system!
Our
grab-and-go system is unlike any other in that we make
distribution easy on their end,” says Kathi Lange-Brown, OI®
Unit Liaison and Indiana Area Manager.
Currently we are
sending nationwide 20,000 c-rats® each month. This
means we are reaching 20,000 men and women over seas EVERY
MONTH!!
One
misconception is that OI® only sends to troops in
Iraq. OI®
sends to any unit deployed away from their home base. Right now
OI®
supports units in many different countries, including those
stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. We send to places like
Africa, Cuba, Germany, Kuwait, Egypt, Japan, Kosovo, and
Honduras. OI® also supported some of the National
Guard units that were deployed to help with the Hurricane
Katrina efforts in the south.
Another big misconception is that we only send around the
holidays. Unlike most well intentioned organizations that
collect and send items only during the holidays, OI®
sends boxes of c-rats® every month just like
clockwork until a unit returns! We have 15 distribution centers
across the United States. Between those 15 sites, boxes of
c-rats are going out every WEEK!
But how can you get involved? This is most simply done by
writing a note of thanks and placing it in a quart sized Ziploc
bag (waterproof device), together with $1.00 towards postage, to
send to the troops on the frontlines. Most people also put a
selection of small treats such as gum, sports clippings and
toothpaste into the bags for the comfort and care of the
recipients. These bags are then called c-rats®
(civilian rations)®. Donations to fill the baggies
are also welcomed and needed. The warehouse in Winamac is
currently empty! We do not have any supplies to pack and
send to the troops. Letters are always needed as well. This is
a great way to get the whole family involved and make the day of
a fellow American overseas!
The types of items that can be donated are things like small
soaps, shampoos, and lotions from the hotels that most people
have in their closets at home are perfect! Or things like snack
foods, candy bars, individual packets of oatmeal, sauce packets
from fast food restaurants, decks of cards anything small that
will fit in a quart size baggie! All food items must be safety
sealed by the manufacturer. Also all items that go in the eyes,
ears, nose, mouth, or on an open wound must also be safety
sealed by the manufacturer. Just remember to think SMALL!
Everything needs to fit in a quart size baggie. The most
important thing that we include in each and every c-rat is a
note or card from a child or adult!
Many ask how this program is received by the military. Here is
one example of the impact:
A teacher
asked her students to write a letter to a soldier and fill a
baggie with goodies. This is what one little girl wrote:
"My name is Elizabeth
and I am six years old. My family and I have filled this little
bag with many things just for you. There are things in this bag
which you can see, like toothpaste, soap, lotion, and shampoo.
But there are many things you cannot see. My heart, my love, my
respect, and most importantly, my prayers for you to return home
safely to your family very soon."
The solider that
received Elizabeth’s letter, presented a special American flag
to her when he returned home because he was so touched with her
words! Sometimes it really doesn’t matter what is in the c-rat
– just that someone took 15 minutes out of their day to write a
short note of thanks!
For those that have items to donate - Locally, we have donation
boxes in Monticello at Sugardog, in Francesville at Alliance
Bank, and in Winamac at Smith Motors. For those who would like
to donate some time and help pack c-rats, Kathi Lange-Brown can
be contacted via the local OI website at www.oiindiana.org or
email oi@sugardog.com |
