Operation Santa-itis….

This is a serious disease, folks…not to be taken lightly..

Some symptoms include:
While shopping, you look at an individual item (such as a pack of gum) and multiply the price by 100 or 200 or 300, etc…
You start hoarding boxes and extra large ziploc bags.
You require lots of assistance at the post office.
Packages mysteriously appear on your front porch from people you’ve never met.

I ought to know…I caught the disease 3 years ago….

I caught it from those Marine Corps Moms, Deb Conrad and Connie Rieke.

Operation Santa started in 2004 when Deb and Connie wanted to send some Christmas cheer to their sons’ units in Iraq. It grew over the weeks and they ended up shipping over 6,000 stuffed stockings.  From there, it has taken on a life of it’s own.  Last year, Operation Santa shipped 17,000 stockings to deployed Marines and 300 to deployed National Guard units.

There are many ways to catch the disease..if you sew, they need stockings.  if you belong to a group (like a church group, club, etc.) perhaps you would consider sponsoring a platoon or bigger or you could be a packing party coordinator.  If you have a family member who’s going to be deployed over the holidays, you could sponsor their unit.  Nobody goes it alone at Marine Corps Moms either, there’s always support for everyone who volunteers from technical advice to sharing items needed for the project.

Additonally, last year Operation Santa branched out to include those wounded/injured servicemembers who would be in the hospitals at Bethesda and Walter Reed on Christmas day.  We delivered stockings stuffed with Subway and Dunkin’ donuts gift cards, gum, candy, dvd’s, cd’s, pads of paper and pens, and cards sent from all over the country to heroes on the wards.  It made my  Christmas day that much more special to be able to let them know that they were loved and thought of by so many grateful Americans.

This year, we’re extending Operation Santa to include Brooke AMC and Balboa Naval hospital as well as Walter Reed and Bethesda.  If you live near any of these hospitals and think you might also have the disease, please contact me at conserv00@yahoo.com or go to the Marine Corps Family Foundation page and contact Deb or Connie.

Even if you don’t live near any of these medical centers but want to support the efforts of the Marine Corps moms, get in touch with us.  We’re the ultimate support group for your disease.

This is a great way for milspouses to support our sisters and brothers dealing with a wounded hero.
I can tell you that supporting their spouse builds them up too.  I have seen it in their eyes.  They need to know that they’re not alone..that they are being thought of as they go through recovery with their husband or wife.  It is not an easy road that they are going down and it can be a  lonely one too. 
It doesn’t have to be.  As milspouses, we can make a difference.  We can let them know that we care.