Thank you everyone.

[Eagle]

I would like to personally thank everyone who participated in the MikeD's Christmas in the Desert project.

Regardless of what your position on our involvement in Iraq.

Regardless of what you may think regarding the folks on both sides of that continuous argument here.

Regardless of what you may think of *my* presentation on this.

You made it a success.

Every thought, nickel, card, email and letter makes a huge difference.

All the prior military folks here, including myself, have had to miss holidays, birthdays, and important family events while performing their duty. Those of you who have not experienced that feeling in a military environment will never understand the melancholy, frustration, and masked unhappiness by those in the country's uniform this time of year.

I especially thank those who have been in that position.

The actions of everyone is noted, and I know it has been said again and again, but::
it was *YOU* who made it come together.

well done.

[Doug Taylor]

I've got to open the thread and piggyback on what Eagle said, but YES YES YES, everything counts.

Everything from the emails to the troops to cash donations HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.

As Kristie and I've spent the last week shopping, packing and shipping, something interesting happened. The regular "civilians" said, "oh, how neat" or "how nice of you guys", but the veterans we ran into took time and explained to us how important it is to the troops that they know that someone back at home is thinking of them and that everyone from the website should be commended to the highest level.

You guys are Santa, I'm just a little elf behind the scenes.

One thing that gave me a lot of pause today is when a Vietnam veteran at DHL/Airborne (did I mention that these guys are AWESOME?) helping me with the waybills and weigh-ins to have the boxes mailed said that when he was serving in the Navy during the war, if he only got an empty box with his name on it, he would have cherished it until he was able to come home to the United States again.

Today, we shipped nearly 700 pounds of goodwill over to our friends over in the desert. We've got another shipment to make tomorrow, but you guys made this happen.

No other website, group or anyone else on the internet did anything like this, and even though the media really hasn't grabbed hold of just what you guys accomplished, you're making history.

This weekend, take a moment pat yourselves on the back and reflect that all of you guys are making history, putting action above rhetoric and most importantly, doing something positive for our fellow countrymen.