Lots of Updates

WOW! It's been a while since I have had some time to do any updates. I sincerely apologize for that, but not for the reason. My soldier son is finally home! I have been spending some time trying to fatten him back up again and just enjoying his company. We also have been working on some really big things for Keystone Soldiers the last 6 weeks!!

We have managed to find some office space and a packing facility to make getting our packages out faster and easier so we can support more of our troops! How is that for BIG news? We will be announcing our new location, phone number and hours of operation about April 1st! We will be needing some volunteers to help us get the location ready. We need shelving units donated and/or built so we can get all of our donated items sorted on them to make packing simple and quick. We will also need volunteers to come in on a regular basis to do care packages. Our goal is to get a care package out to every soldier who signs up within 48 hours of receiving their request.

We have one more HUGE announcement so don't stop reading now!

We will be participating with Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA for their Armed Forces Appreciation Days! On May 6 and 7, Active and Retired Military personnel and Reservists and up to three family members will receive $6.00 off the Regular full one-day admission price of $29.95 and/or Child full one-day admission price of $24.95 and/or Senior full one-day admission price of $22.95 and/or Senior Plus admission price of $15.95 by showing a current military ID at time of purchase. Keystone Soldiers will be there to help collect items donated for care packages for active duty deployed military in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo and any other location where they are needed. We will have brochures, information and some gifts for those who stop by our table and say hello. There will be more details coming up soon and we hope to see lots of you there!

On a more serious note.....we are proud to have been able to assist 6 PA military families with heating oil assistance so far this winter. Helping these families while their spouse is deployed is just one of the reasons we are here. We will have a separate article about this later in the week so be sure to stop back. Find out how you can help us help these families or apply for help if you need it.

Thanks to all those who have been sending donations and items for care packages after the holidays. This is a time when donations traditionally fall short of requests but thanks to some very generous donors we have been able to keep the care packages and letters rolling out of here without any slow down at all! YOU are awesome!

We currently have a need for some specific items for the spring and summer care packages. We really need pre-paid calling cards (AT&T Global Pre-Paid from AAFES or Sam's Club) and sand scarves. The Shallyn sand scarves are still available by clicking the link on the front page of our website. They make GREAT Mother's Day gifts for our female personnel deployed in the sandbox and we will be running our annual promotion to get them to as many of our girls as possible for Mother's Day again this year. Please consider sponsoring 1 or more to add to our care packages!

We will be needing lots more Avon Bug Guard with sunscreen for the summer months. We have a local Avon lady who is supplying us with this at her cost so if you want to make a donation for this item we will have her link posted on the front page too. You will be able to order it, or any other items, and request drop off for care packages on her Avon page or by email.

Remember when you send us items for care packages that there are several items we cannot ship. NO aerosol cans, chocolate (it is getting hot already), pornography, or alcohol. We also have enough paperback and hard bound books to start a library right now. All of the snacks, toiletries and other regular items will gratefully be accepted for shipment to our troops.

Thanks for visiting and come back again soon. Please contact us at keystonemilitary@yahoo.com if you would like to be a volunteer or make a donation to support our heroes!

~Lordzmom