Area helps GIs with candy drop in Iraq (956 hits)
Category: Politics -> IraqRating: 1.29 on 33 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by insanethemind (View user info) at 2005-05-09 15:34:17 EDT
Area helps GIs with candy drop in Iraq
Jennifer Girardin
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 29, 2005 12:00 AM
SCOTTSDALE
Candy and toys are lifting the spirits of both servicemen from the 18th Aviation Brigade and Iraqi children. And they have Robin Parker and her helpers to thank.
Two months ago, Parker's brother, 42-year-oldChief Warrant Officer Tom Walton, asked her to send candy and pencils to him in Iraq so he and other servicemen could drop the goodies to Iraqi children from their Blackhawk helicopters. advertisement
"He called and said, 'Any candy, pencils or stickers we get, we bag them and give it to them (the Iraqi children). It's the highlight of our days,' " Parker recounted.
Since then, Parker has solicited the help of members from her church, family, friends and even businesses to collect items for Operation Candy Drop.
Parker and her family and friends spent a recent afternoon tying notes to plastic bags filled with candy and trinkets. The notes, written in Arabic, said, "To the children of Iraq, from the children of America. Love and peace."
The Scottsdale mother of three said her brother, a 14-year Army veteran who also served in Operation Desert Storm, stressed, "the mission comes first."
Walton and his counterparts bring several bags with them each time they're flying the helicopters and, when they have "down time," they drop the bags to the children below.
As she tied a note onto a bag using a brightly colored ribbon, Beth Woodard explained that the notes and treats are to help the children know that American soldiers in helicopters are not there to hurt them.
"It's so they know where it's coming from and what it's about so they're not afraid," the Cave Creek woman said.
"They used to run away in fear when they would hear a helicopter," added Walton and Parker's mother, Lonnie.
"He said, 'Mom, if you could only see this. Now kids are jumping and clapping,' " Lonnie said.
Parker recently sent 28 boxes of goodies to Iraq. At $7.70 per box, things are adding up, but donations keep coming in, she said.
"A Rotary Club in Prescott gave me a check for $162, then I got another $100 check," Parker said. "People are so unbelievably nice. They want to help."
Local businesses such as CVS Pharmacy have donated candy, trinkets and even soccer balls to the cause, but Parker's mother says they can't take just anything.
"No chocolate, no crayons, nothing religious and nothing red, white and blue," Lonnie said.
The bags are tied with brightly colored ribbon because many were getting lost in the desert sand. The ribbon makes them easier to find.
Parker says she's excited by how much the outreach has grown just over the past few months and attributes it to a higher power.
"Every step of the way, it's a God thing," she said.
At one point nothing seemed to be working out and then she received an encouraging e-mail from her brother.
"Everything is in God's hands and it all works out in the end," he wrote.
"And if it hasn't worked out, it's not the end."
-------------------------
Isn't this a bit ridiculous?
"it's a God thing."
User Reviews
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2005-05-15 17:25:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
BAHAHAHAHA
yes, it is.
how are you? Long time no "see".
Submitted by sublime (user info) at 2005-05-15 13:11:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm just glad you're not dead
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2005-05-11 11:27:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
They should be handing out hellfires and 30mm rounds to all the kiddies and people of Iraq from that helicopter.
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2005-05-11 11:13:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Oooo, a post
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-10 15:27:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm good, thanks lisa. whats new in your world
Submitted by Lisa (user info) at 2005-05-10 02:41:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Dude, it's you. How YOU doin'?
How generous of the U.S., spreading democracy AND diabetes! Maybe if we hook the suckers on our addictive, toxic foods they'll eventually have to ameliorate the effects with our addictive, toxic drugs.
Submitted by Hairsphincter (user info) at 2005-05-09 23:03:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I take you to the candy shop
I'll let you lick the lollypop
Go 'head girl, don't you stop
Keep going 'til you hit the spot (woah)
[Olivia]
I'll take you to the candy shop
Boy one taste of what I got
I'll have you spending all you got
Keep going 'til you hit the spot (woah)
[Verse 1: 50 Cent]
You can have it your way, how do you want it
You gon' back that thing up or should i push up on it
Temperature rising, okay lets go to the next level
Dance floor jam packed, hot as a teakettle
I'll break it down for you now, baby it's simple
If you be a nympho, I'll be a nympho
In the hotel or in the back of the rental
On the beach or in the park, it's whatever you into
Got the magic stick, I'm the love doctor
Have your friends teasin you 'bout how sprung I gotcha
Wanna show me how you work it baby, no problem
Get on top then get to bouncing round like a low rider
I'm a seasons vet when it come to this shit
After you broke up a sweat you can play with the stick
I'm tryin to explain baby the best way I can
I melt in your mouth girl, not in your hands (ha ha)
[Chorus]
[Bridge: 50 Cent & Olivia]
Girl what we do (what we do)
And where we do (and where we do)
The things we do (things we do)
Are just between me and you (oh yeah)
[Verse 2: 50 Cent]
Give it to me baby, nice and slow
Climb on top, ride like you in the rodeo
You ain't never heard a sound like this before
Cause I ain't never put it down like this
Soon as I come through the door she get to pullin on my zipper
It's like it's a race who can get undressed quicker
Isn't it ironic how erotic it is to watch em in thongs
Had me thinking 'bout that ass after I'm gone
I touch the right spot at the right time
Lights on or lights off, she like it from behind
So seductive, you should see the way she wind
Her hips in slow-mo on the floor when we grind
As Long as she ain't stoppin, homie I aint stoppin
Drippin wet with sweat man its on and popping
All my champagne campaign, bottle after bottle its on
And we gon' sip til every bubble in every bottle is gone
[Chorus 2x]
Submitted by FartSmeller (user info) at 2005-05-09 22:48:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Operation Dumbo Drop was a "god" thing. This was just some nice people giving out candy to poor malnourished dune coons.
Submitted by Sounsexy00 (user info) at 2005-05-09 22:27:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Isn't this why we are over there? Because people who say things like "It's a God thing." have fucked over the world?
Stop being so damn blindly religious, you sheep.
Hadley
Yup.
Submitted by shandythedog (user info) at 2005-05-09 19:17:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
the trecherous cur has returned!
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-05-09 19:10:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
damnit mike.
fine, be that way.
: (
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2005-05-09 18:16:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
it is indeed ridiculous.
the notes should have said :
"to the peons of iraq, spare yourselves as the HD2 (well hd 2.5 inc shandy) are coming, run for your lives, failing that - bend over"
it's a highly disturbed thing.
really, really, gald to see you mate.
was worried when the emails bounced back.
even thought about pouring a strongbow on the kerb.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2005-05-09 17:10:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"Every step of the way, it's a God thing... everything is in God's hands and it all works out in the end."
It is?
Good, I was afraid that God was helping me jerk off.
Glad to see you back.
Submitted by kai070169 (user info) at 2005-05-09 16:41:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Isn't this a bit ridiculous?
"it's a God thing."
-----------------------
It's a good thing.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2005-05-09 16:02:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I remember you both, so there.
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:57:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:53:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
OH. you are logan buttswill, i remember you now
Submitted by Samover (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:53:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Its ok, I am usually just forgettable in bed so I guess this rounds it all out a little.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:52:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
samover if i had any idea who you were i would have said welcome back.
welcome back!
Submitted by Samover (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:50:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Insanethemind gets all the hellos. Thanks guys. I havent posted in forever and no one remembered me. I am crying myself to sleep tonight on my enormous pillow.
Submitted by WiKi (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:49:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
!!!!!
yayyyy it's Insane!
About damn time.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:44:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
bob, i cant email at the moment and dont message.
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:42:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
hey MIKE, how the hell are you doing?
you still have aim or yahoo so i can talk?
email me if you dont want to give it out
shnugen27.at.gmail.com
Submitted by Samover (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:42:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
When I was in Iraq I was on a Blackhawk Helicopter once and we where flying over some villages and all the little kids were making this weird motion with their arms. It was kind of like the tomahawk thing you see at Braves games. I asked one of the crew guys what the hell they were doing, and if they were just waving funny. He was like no, look closer, they are throwing rocks. Great people over there I tells ya.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:42:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Why does it have to be a god thing? Why can't anyone do something just to be nice without it turning into some sort of jebus based propaganda bullshit. It's also a bit of a lie to say it is from the children of America unless CVS is breaking child labor laws.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:41:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
hey itchy, yeah i am alive and kickin
Submitted by The_Grammar_Nazi (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:41:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Meh, worked for Berlin, though circumstances were pretty damn different.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:40:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Aren't you never to take candy from stragers... ESPECIALLY imperialist dogs in helicopters?
Submitted by Teephphah (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:40:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You're alive? That's great!
(This is "itchy" by the way, in case you missed the name-change.)
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:39:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
haha, what they didn't mention is those are all PORK-BASED candies!
How do yoo say PWNED in Arabic?
Submitted by Death_Metal_Dude (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:38:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
pff it's clearly an American conspiracy to give the Iraqi children cavities and reap the profit from US-run dentistry and orthodontics
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:35:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The notes, written in Arabic, said, "To the children of Iraq, from the children of America. Love and peace."
Submitted by William_Q_Percy (user info) at 2005-05-09 15:35:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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