Smokers For Soldiers

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tjohnson

Smoking Guru
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Dec 29, 2009
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Savage, MN
With the Holidays coming up and so many of our Men and Women in the Military still overseas, I thought the members of SMF could make a small difference.

I've thought about this for awhile, and decided to offer a 6x6 A-MAZE-N-SMOKER incl. (3) 1# Pkgs. A-MAZE-N-DUST in "Exchange" for a box filled with items from the list below, requested by Men and Women in our Military.

I'll offer (10) smokers for "Exchange"

There are (2) Parts to my offer, so PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

I'll try to post a PDF or Word.doc of the list for download, but for now you could "Cut & Paste" the list into Word or Notepad.

THANK YOU!

Todd

Part 1 - The Exchange

I will send you (1) 6x6 A-MAZE-N-SMOKER incl. (3) 1# Pkgs. of Sawdust, shipped to your address.  You fill a USPO Large Flat Rate Box(Approx.12"x12"x6" & costs $14.70) with items from the list below and ship to my address After I receive your box, your A-MAZE-N-SMOKER and Sawdust will be shipped.  I'll also post pics of the items you sent, and ship the box to a Military Man or Woman in Part 2.   Items can be purchased from Target, Walmart, Dollar Store, Etc.  Place all liquid items in ZipLoc bags and DO NOT send aerosol cans.  Send me a PM if you're interested in an "Exchange" and we can work out the details.

Part 2 - Military Men & Women

I am asking for members to forward the names of a family member or friend in the Military, who may need a "Care Package" sent to themPlease have the correct shipping info and I would prefer "You" personally contact the soldier as they may have a request for personal items.   PM me and we can work out the details.

This list was compiled from a number of different lists I found on the internet.  This is in no way a complete list of items requested by our Military.  Items must be individual, sample size or individually wrapped.  No products containing aerosol  can be shipped.  Several items can be packed in sealed zip-lock sandwich size baggies for shipping.

Fun Items:

Short stories

Playing cards

Stationary & Envelopes with stamps

Puzzle Books & Word Puzzles

DVD’s

Articles (Sports/Comics/Community News)

Phone Calling card (international)

Food Items:

Seasonings & Spices - ex: Mrs. Dash, A1 or Hot Sauce

BBQ Sauce

Beef Jerky

Protein Power packets

Protein Bars

Meal Replacement bars (Tiger's Milk)

Hard Candy (Jolly Rangers/Life savers)

Gummy worms/bears

Jelly Beans & Hard Candy

Powered Gatorade, Kool-Aid - anything to make the water taste better

Microwave popcorn

Fun breakfast cereal bars

Packaged cookies individual (sugar/chocolate chip)

Vitamins

Ground coffee

Trail mix (small packets)

Anna's fruits & nuts packets (from Costco)

Dried fruit

Pringles chips

Small Packages Chips

Handi-snacks crackers (peanut butter & crackers, etc.)

Granola bars

Turkey jerky

Bread sticks

Chewing gum

Chewing gum to clean teeth

Tic Tacs

Personal Hygiene:

Deoderant/Anti perspirant

Tooth paste (sample size)

Disposable toothbrushes

Dental floss

Soap

Q-tips

Foot/body powder

Mach III Razor refills

Disposable Razors

Sunscreen

Insect Repellant

Toilet seat covers

Toilet Paper (10 sheets or small package)

Underwear

Black socks

Cheap electric razors with batteries

Disposable camera

Sanitary wipes/Baby wipes (personal size or placed in small sealed baggies)

Hygiene items for women

This is by no means a complete list of all the items being requested.  You can be creative with items you think will help our Men and Women in the Military, but please use “Common Sense”.

Greeting card/letter to recipient in an unsealed envelope. You may include a personal note signed by your group or by the individual's first name only. DO NOT include your last name or address for security reasons.

Our specific guidelines are directly from the military channels we have the privilege to serve. Let's all follow them so we are a blessing to our service personnel.
 
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Hi Todd,

Can I get in?  If so I will get you a package out this week..
 
I'm in !!!

PDT_Armataz_01_37.gif
 
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Very nice idea Todd.

We send care packages to our son often.  He is stationed in a small country on the gulf.  My wife does things like dehydrate and vacuum seal food, such as humus, vegetarian chili, home made cup-o-soup.  They ship light weight, and keep well in the hot climate. 

She has also done a recipe that takes dry roasted nuts, soaks them in hot sauce [Shiroka (sp?), aka rooster sauce] and then dehydrates them to dry them out.  Turns out pretty good.  Vacuums them for shipment.

Where he is deployed now, the calling card does not work -- but Skype does!  For about $30 he can call any cell phone or land line in the US.   Couple of years ago he was in Iraq and the only calling card he could use there was ATT (we bought one from Sam's for him).

Chocolate cookies do not fare too well in the heat.  Other cookies can easily arrive as cookie crumbs unless packed extremely well.
 
Awesome Idea!!! Also if you already have an amazen smoker like me you can still get in to help our soldiers.

Just give the smoker package away as a Christmas gift to spread the gift of smoking! And to support one of our own...the newest member of the OTBS club

Todd Johnson!

SOB
 
Looks like Beer-B-Q and smokingjhawk are in for the "Exchange".....THANKS GUYS!

My first "Care Package" was going to be sent to Stacks, a fellow SMF member, who is stationed in Kuwait.  Check out his posts on SMF.  I PM'd him and made the offer, but he declined because his tour is ending and will be home for Christmas.  Now, how can you beat that!

Stacks gave some great ideas and that's why I'm asking members to nominate a relative or friend who may need a "Care Package" sent to them.

Mike and Dale, What supplies have you guys sent?  I'll add them to the list.

THANKS!

Todd
 
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Thanks Todd for doing a great thing for our troops and for everyone supporting them.  We adopt a military family every year for Christmas and it is truly heartwarming to be able to help.
 
Great idea Todd !

One box could actually brighten the day of a whole Squad, or even a Platoon!

I enjoy posts from Stacks too---Good guy!

Bear
 
Mike and Dale, What supplies have you guys sent?  I'll add them to the list. 

Todd
Some of the things we have sent to our son:

finger nail clip

emory board

bottle of hot sauce (habanero)

toliet paper

microwave popcorn

ziplock bags

packages of Indian foods from the store.

ball point pens.

travel packets of kleenex.

q-tips

boxes of assorted band-aids

jar of peanut butter

crackers of various kinds

dehydrated foods:

apple slices

mango slices

hummus

salsa

bean salad

soups

vegetarian chili

"rooster" nuts

The dehydrated foods are nice because they are light to ship, keep well, and re-hydrate without much trouble.

Hummus is very good -- we make our own with various flavorings.  He can re-hydrate a little or a lot at a time.

The chili, the soups, and the popcorn require a microwave.  That is something that he has at his current station, but would not be available to troops who are downrange.

He also has access to Wi-fi internet connection, hence the ability to use Skype to call home.  Soldiers downrange would not have that until they came back to base.
 
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Someone asked me for the rooster nuts recipe.  Here it is:

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Rooster Hot Peanuts
 Categories: Dehydrator, Tested
      Yield: 16 Oz
 
      3 c  Dry roasted peanuts
           (whole 16 oz jar)
    1/2 c  Water
    1/4 c  Hot pepper sauce **
        ds Salt before dehydrating
 
  ** You can use what ever hot sauce you like. Our best results were
  from Sriracha hot chili sauce, also known as rooster sauce.  We have
  tried Crystals and Tabasco and did not like them as much.
 
  Place nuts in a 7 x 11 inch flat glass pan.  In measuring cup combine
  the water and hot sauce.  Mix well.  Pour over nuts. Stir every 30
  minutes to ensure even distribution of sauce.  Let marinate total of
  2 hours. Right before placing on dehydrator sprinkle nuts lightly
  with salt.
 
  Spread nuts evenly on regular dehydrating drying trays - do not
  overload each tray - spread to a single layer. (I have a Nesco
  dehydrator and one batch will use two of the trays)
 
  Dry in an electric dehydrator at 145 degrees for 10 hours -OR- until
  nuts are crunchy. Nuts will be more crunchy after they cool down but
  you want there to be a crunch while they are still warm.
 
  Store in an air tight container or vacuum seal.
 
  Tested often and included in Care Packages to our son with the Army

  in the mideast.
 
MMMMM
 
 
 
I need some help finding Men and Women in the Military who could use a "Care Package" from home.

Please PM me if you have a person in-mind!!

THANKS!

Todd
 
Todd, sorry for the delay. I have been busy at work and went out to Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City and walk around and read the markers. I do this every year. Here's what I've sent so far #1 and #2. I have #3 boxed and gonna fill another this week and get them sent off for T-day hopefully. #4 will be all spaghetti ingredients and some frisbees. Just remember dont sent toiletries and food unless you vacuum pack the food. Nothing like Brut flavored jerky to ruin your day. You can use the large flat rate box if they are out of FPO/APO boxes, same size. I have a troop of 100 living in tents with minimal and trying to help them keep active. GBOT's!

 PACKAGE #1
QTY ITEMS
4 ANTACID
2 DEODORANT
1 BODY POWDER
2 TOOTHBRUSH 5 PACK
2 TOOTHPASTE
1 HAND SANITIZER 3 PACK
2 BLISTEX
1 WET WIPES 3 PACK
2 RAZORS 10 PACK
1 HARD CANDY
1 FRUIT CHEWS
4 TAFFY
3 DVD'S
2 SMOKED OYSTERS
2 SARDINES
2 FOOT CREAM
13 MAGAZINES

PACKAGE #2
QTY ITEMS
24 HOTSAUCE 3 OZ.
2 DVD'S
3 TOOTSIE ROLLS
3 GUM
1 COTTON SWABS
3 HARD CANDY
10 SMALL TOWELS
4 SARDINES
4 SMOKED OYSTERS

PACKAGE # 3
QTY ITEMS
5 TOMATO PASTE
3 JAWBREAKERS
6 JELLO
4 PUDDING
10 SALAMI
4 JERKY
5 SPAGHETTI NOODLES
10 SPAGHETTI SAUCE PACKETS
10 PLAYING CARDS
 
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Awesome Job Mike!

Todd
 
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I am in, There are a lot of soldiers at Walter Reed that can use these.  You can send them to the Ward and the nurses will help in getting the stuff out.  If you have questions pm me

Warren
 
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