New Hampshire Toys for Tots needs help - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

Boatcarpenter · 11-17-2009, 21:52

Fellow New Hampshire SS Members.
The NH Toys for Tots drive this year needs help. My new Marine buddy, Sgt Boice from the Reserve Center in Londonderry (actually right on the backside of the Manchester Airport) called me today looking for help. I by chance hooked up with him last year for one vehicle placement day and a full truck run from Keene to the center with a load of toys.
For their big 3 day “Stuff the Bus” event at the Fox Run Mall in Portsmouth this year, their usual sponsor and bus provider have not stepped up to the plate. Clear Channel and WMUR Channel Nine have offered to sponsor it but no buses yet. He asked me to help out. I told him I would ask for help from fellow SS members to see what we could do. He thought we might have to turn it into a “Stuff the Deuce” event. Three or four or five Deuces being loaded and shuttling the toys to the center. . Actually any military vehicle especially with a trailer in tow would be more than welcomed also.
It will take a big commitment from anyone willing to help out. The event takes place on Dec. 11,12 and 13. The event may run Fri from about 8 AM-10 PM, Sat 8 AM-10 PM and Sun. from 8 AM-10 PM. Perhaps if we get enough people on board we can spread the time around so nobody gets more than one day unless they want to do more. He mentioned that if their budget allowed they might be able to book a room if needed so some people could stay over.
This Reserve Center does a massive drive as they provide toys for 7 of the 9 counties in NH. Once they start they are practically 24/7 until the day before Christmas. They are a great bunch of guys that devote a lot of time to the effort. They deserve all the help we can give them.
If by chance they do get a bus company to provide buses, then our part would change more to a vehicle placement job. They only have 15 passenger vans at their disposal and Dodge vans don’t attract kids and people like our MV’s will. He said he might be able to get a Hummer and trailer if he can get a driver also.
As we all know times are tough for many families this year so let’s do what we can to help.
Anyone from northern Mass. and/or southern Maine is also welcome to help.
Let me know what you think you might be able to do.
Thanks very much,
BC
I wrote this in word and copied and pasted it. Can anyone tell me how to change the color of the print??? Please??

scooter01922 · 11-18-2009, 00:54

Hmm, well man if the deuce is up for it i'll be there. Tried to do the toys for tots thing last year and sent off several emails but never got any response

I think we can pull off 4-5 deuces EASY, half a doz should still be very realistic. Who knows maybe we can get a full dozen there and really make it a blowout.

Boatcarpenter · 11-18-2009, 09:05

thanks scooter,
If they don't get buses, they really need help. If your Deuce is not up to it, I might be able to get you a Deuce from my friend Jim..
Recruit, recruit, recruit

.
BC

Boatcarpenter · 11-19-2009, 19:25

Not doing well here guys. scooter, where are the dozen Deuces you said we might get

?
BC

scooter01922 · 11-20-2009, 00:56

Beats me man, i would think the NE contigent would be on this faster. Well, you let me know. Whatever i can do to assist

Boatcarpenter · 11-25-2009, 08:10

Update,
They will be using a tractor trailer for toy collection. Would still like to have some military vehicles show up and hang around for a while to attract attention to the drive.
BC

Boatcarpenter · 12-17-2009, 11:41

Mission accomplished

1 1/2 Deuce loads of toys from Keene to Reserve Center in Londonderry and then on to The Fox Run Mall in Newington for three 12 hour days of collecting and moving toys etc. A little over 4 1/2 bus loads (they finally got buses) of toys collected and a little over 4K in cash. Collection point always had one or two Marines, two of the sponsoring stations D-jays, and several of the Pease Greeters ( Welcome to Pease Greeters. Serving America's Heroes One Flight at a Time.) and I always on hand. Collected more than expected considering the tough economic times so they were pleased. Also, at the collection point in Manchester, a family that recently lost a young Marine overseas came down and donated 10K to the cause. There are still great and generous people out there!!!
Even though it was either cold and/or rainy I had a lot of fun and met a lot of good people, the ones you never hear about on the evening news.
Will do it again next year.
Hope more SS people can come out for some of the time. You won't regret it.
Thanks Carl in NH for the inverter, although I never used it. We put the lights around the shuttle bus we used to keep warm in and eat the great meals provided by wonderful area eateries.
BC

Boatcarpenter · 12-17-2009, 11:48

A few more pics.
BC