Friend:
This site exists for two reasons: The first is as a way to acknowledge publicly the contributions of those people helping us supply "CARE" packages to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those generous persons or companies are listed elsewhere on this site.
Let me explain that this is NOT a non-profit arrangement that would allow us or anyone else to make money while doing for the troops. Unfortunately, that means that big corporations will not contribute because they cannot make money from doing so. We will just have to get along with great folks like we've listed on the contributors page and people like you who can help by sending your paperback books, CDs and DVDs when you finish with them.
The second reason is that I need help with the paperbacks and DVDs. We have had some success locally and I hope that by reaching a national audience we can get enough books and DVDs to keep sending these packages a lot longer.
Our first reaction to 9-11 was to offer a 25% discount to all military, police, fire and EMT personnel. It took me a couple of years to figure out that the only people getting the word were those that were already our customers. It also occurred to me that 99% of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan would never order a knife, even if they knew about the discount. Yes, I know that many of those serving want a huge combat or bowie knife. As a student of warfare and the military, and as a knife user for longer than most of those serving have been alive, I know that what they need is a quality pocketknife. I learned from writing back and forth with those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan that a major problem is boredom. They all want reading material.
For about six months we have been sending a paperback book, two magazines, a pair of field tweezers, and a few band-aids. We have added to these items as good people have donated things like moist towelettes, mosquito towelettes, hotel soap and shampoo and other personal items.
Has this impacted our profits? Of course it has, you cannot mail over 5,000 packages, paying all the cost of the postage as well as including tweezers and knives which you pay for yourself, and not have it cut deeply into your profits.
How long will we continue? As long as we possibly can and keep our business in good shape. We do this because we believe in the American Fighting Man and Woman and never again want them to feel that they are not fully supported by at least some of those safe at home because they are fighting for us overseas.
A. G., Goldie and Staff