What the heck is an NFTT diary? And how do I make it go away?
NFTT stands for Netroots for the Troops, a coalition of the IGTNT and Mojo Friday crews. With the generous support of the Daily Kos community, Netroots for the Troops is hosting a Care Packages for the Troops seminar at Netroots Nation 2008 in Austin on July 19.
That's where we will let our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan know how much we care by assembling and shipping packages right from Austin. 101 of them to be exact. We'll also honor our fallen servicemen and women with some special tributes during the convention.
The details about how you can make NFTT fundraising diaries stop are below the fold, but before you go there, please
Rec this diary!
Update: Before you make a donation, please see One Pissed Off Liberal's challenge.
Update to the update: OPOL's challenge has been matched, by a very special person. Thank you both!
Perhaps you are like lots of people - you've thought about sending a care package to the troops, but just haven't gotten around to it. Now's your chance to do something for the troops by helping to send them things they truly need.
Netroots for the Troops is holding a seminar on Saturday, July 19, 2008, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at Netroots Nation 2008 on how to pack and ship troop support care packages. Participants will get hands-on experience by helping us fill care packages that will be sent directly from Austin to our brave men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our aim is to ship a total of 101 care packages - and that’s where you come in.
To get 101 of each of the items on our final list (see Details below) to Austin on July 19 is going to take money. We've set a goal of $10000 to cover the cost of buying the items and any packing supplies, and ship the boxes. The sooner we reach our goal the better because we'd like some lead time to make decisions about what specific items we will purchase, and to order them and have them shipped to Austin.
Update: As of today we have raised $4663 - almost half-way to our goal! Great job everyone!
Will you help us? To donate online, go to this donation page. There you can donate either by using your credit card (under "Don't have a PayPal account?" at the bottom left of the page) or through PayPal if you have an account. Whether you can donate a little or a lot, every donation will make a difference in what we’re able to send to the troops.
The Details
We'll be using the new, larger USPS Flat Rate APO boxes, which cost $10.95 each to mail. These roomy boxes can hold a lot, and we want to fill them to the brim with items that our troops really need and that they often specifically request. We're still honing our shopping list, and some choices will depend on the amount of funds we raise.
Above all else, we want these highly desired but relatively costly items to go into every package:
- A pair of Mechanix gloves
- A 550-minute long-distance calling card
- A pair of boot replacement gel insoles
- A micro LED flashlight
In addition to other suggestions and requests we have received, we'll select from the following items recommended by the fine folks at anysoldier.com to round out our final shopping list:
Commonly requested items
Cotton socks | Men's and women's cotton underwear |
CDs and DVDs | Tampons and sanitary napkins |
Foot powder | Crossword / puzzle / sudoku books |
Q-tips | Paperback books |
Shampoo | Sketchbooks and pencils |
Conditioner | Paper and envelopes |
Tissues | Individually packaged sports drink mixes |
Body wash | Microwave popcorn |
Lotion | Disposable razors |
Gum / mints | Lip balm / Chapstick |
Licorice | Meat jerky |
You can also plan to bring you own items to go in the care packages to the Netroots Nation conference. Bring any DVD or CD that has come out in the past two years - hit the bargain bins at your local video store - or any other of the above-listed items to the Netroots for the Troops booth in the Exhibit Hall on Thursday or Friday. Let us know in the comments what you'll be bringing.
Free Ways to Help
If you're short on cash, don't fret! Check out jlms qkw's excellent diary Netroots For The Troops: Cost-Free Way to Help. And even if you're not short on cash, writing a letter is another great way you can be a vital part of this project, whether you attend Netroots Nation or not.
Another cost-free way you can help is to post a diary just like this one (in fact feel free to use this code). Please contact me if you can write one or two diaries in the next few weeks to help us meet our goal for this great effort.
Honoring the Fallen
A very generous donor has fully funded all costs associated with displaying kainah's panels memorializing the fallen at Netroots Nation. Her remarkable panels are a moving tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We'll keep you posted on as we work out the details of creating this opportunity for all who attend Netroots Nation to pay their respects to the fallen.
It probably goes without saying, but just in case:
Please leave your political opinions at the door! Thank you.