Neighbors With News
and Notes From the Chamber
Bt Dianne Caughlin
As many of you know, my husband Joe is now working in Afghanistan; he flys Chinook Helicopters and is stationed in an area up north called Shank. Of course, we have soldiers stationed everywhere, but he noticed that the soldiers stationed on the Pakistan/Afghan border are in a real shit hole place without any comforts of home, etc... these poor kids barely get their mail much less creature comforts.
So, what he asked me to ask you all is if you could donate items to go into boxes that Garden Valley Properties will pay to ship over there. He suggested things like razors, cookies, socks, cards/notes that you write to them, candy bars, anything you think might give them some comfort this time of year and make their holidays a little brighter.
I don’t know about you all, but this makes me want to cry just thinking about it, maybe because I have two sons that could be there, and so do many of you. So, even if you don’t believe in this war, please believe in these kids that are putting their lives on the line for our country.
If you want to buy, make or craft anything to include in the boxes, just bring them by the office, at Garden Valley Properties. When we fill one up, we’ll ship it over for my husband and his co-workers to disperse when they fly into these FOB’s (forward operating bases). Let’s call this operation “Thinking of you from Garden Valley, Idaho”.
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Update: The boxes we are sending to the troops in Afghanistan will start going out today, November 30. I think we have enough to fill 5 boxes so far. I talked to Joe on the phone last night and he said definitely magazines would be a great idea, so if you have any old magazines you’ve already read and you want to get rid of them, please bring them on down to the Garden Valley Properties office (208-462-4620), and we’ll put them in the boxes. Notes too--it doesn’t cost anything to write these kids a note from home with news about our town, your life or whatever you’d like to write.
With that thought in mind (about the troops), Jon Jauregui had a great idea and I’m kind of going to add my own thoughts (thinking out loud) and I’d like your feedback and suggestions. John (a former career Marine) suggested we invite the soldiers to our 4th of July Celebration. I’m thinking we make them the guests of honor, and offer to house and feed them while they are here with local families that would be willing to take them in, (getting here is on their own if they are Stateside and wish to come here). On the 3rd of July, we could host a community Pot Luck (maybe in the park) for the soldiers we are honoring. If any do take us up on this, we could make the Theme of the 4th centered around them and possibly put them on a Chamber-sponsored float for the parade. Okay, those are my thoughts so far, please feel free to send me your suggestions.
*During the last meeting, we formed a marketing committee to explore new possibilities on how to promote Garden Valley. If anyone else would like to join us at the first meeting and get involved wizth this committee, please meet us at Wild Bill's, at 9:00 a.m., this Friday, December 2nd.
*Rex LaFevre would like to invite everyone over to the “Radio Shack” for an Open House following the 6:00 p.m.Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Longhorn.
*If you’re a Facebooker, please go to the Chamber FB page and “like” it, so you will be updated every time we add something new.
*Also, from Uncle Billy Bob, the folks down there in the holler are offering some winter discounts, so “like” Uncle Billy Bob’s FB page also for some upcoming winter savings. If you’ve got family coming in for the holidays, you might want to send them there, or perhaps you will want to hide there too for a couple of days!
Diane Caughlin, President
Garden Valley Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 10
Garden Valley, Idaho 83622
208-462-5003 info@gvchamber.org
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