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News & Media
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December 2011
Richard Roberts has kindly passed along an update on the
Afghanistan care package programme to which Australian Christmas
Cards contributes cards to our troops serving in Afghanistan, such
that they are also able to join in wishing their friends and family
at home their love and the season's greetings.
Care packs crusade
Townsville Bulletin
- Friday, December 9, 2011
TOWNSVILLE troops in the Middle East have got Christmas
covered with more than 500 packages being sent with love
to the front line.
Aitkenvale Uniting church parishioners Shirley and Ted
Roberts have been scrambling for donations all year to
keep up the morale of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and
women on deployment and now they've turned their
attention to festive-themed treats.
The packages have been sent to their fellow Aitkenvale
Uniting church parishioner and Mentoring Task Force
Three Chaplain John Saunders who has been handing them
out all year and is now getting ready to play "Santa" to
the troops.
Mr Roberts, a former RAAF serviceman, said they had
received donations from Roadies chips, Lions, Rotary and
Lioness clubs, Australian Christmas Cards, RSL clubs,
Nerada Tea and Skybury Coffee - who have donated an
incredible 1400 sachets of coffee - among others, and
had enough provisions to fill 526 parcels. The dedicated
couple have been receiving letters and emails of thanks
for their packages from soldiers who are no doubt now
eagerly awaiting the festive parcels. One such recent
email was sent by Craftsman Kurt Flanders of MTF-3.
"Thank you very much for the parcel," he wrote.
"I shared what was in there with the boys here at Patrol
Base Wali. We don't have access to the same amenities
that are in Tarin Kot, so we welcome the care packages."
Chaplain Saunders also emailed the couple to assure them
the Christmas cakes were already arriving in
Afghanistan.
"I've just returned from visiting my far-flung flock and
the care packs you have sent have been much appreciated
by all," he wrote.
"Yes, the Christmas cakes have started arriving and I am
sending them out to the bases ... plus one or two stay
here in Tarin Kot as well.
"You've both done a great job and I know all levels of
MTF-3 have appreciated what you have contributed to make
their deployment a little more comfortable."
Source |
August 2011
The great majority of our Christmas cards are bought by
businesses. Again most of them are in Australia, some are in New
Zealand and a few are overseas. We also provide Christmas cards
for government departments, clubs, churches, charities and
individuals but this week we received an order from a completely
different source. We will now be providing Christmas cards for
our troops in Afghanistan so if you receive a Christmas card for
your son or daughter or husband or wife from Afghanistan, then
the likelihood is that it came from Australian Christmas Cards.
Care packages from
home lift morale
Townsville Bulletin
- Friday, August 5, 2011
THEY might be based in the deserts of Afghanistan but
Townsville soldiers are still receiving a ready supply
of home comforts thanks to care parcels sent by Shirley
and Ted Roberts.
Mr and Mrs Roberts sent care parcels to the Middle East
last time Townsville soldiers were deployed in 2009 so
they’re experts at putting together the goodie packs of
treats, hygiene products and even Christmas cards for
the troops.
Last time the exercise was funded through the goodwill
of the congregation at Aitkenvale Uniting Church and
although the parishioners have again been generous, this
time there are 900 instead of the former 400 soldiers to
care for so the Roberts’ are asking for donations.
Mr Roberts served 10 years in the RAAF so knows more
than most how much a care parcel means to a deployed
defence member.
"One time I was sent down to Adelaide for training and I
was so homesick all I wanted to do was come home again,"
Mr Roberts said.
"Then Shirley started sending me things like a Christmas
cake and other presents and it made such a difference to
how I was feeling.
"These men and women need as much support as they can
get from back home and this is something we can do to
help them."
Chaplain John Saunders, who is currently in Afghanistan,
said the packages had been a huge hit.
"I really need to take my hat off to Shirley Roberts of
Aitkenvale Uniting Church," he said.
"Shirley has done an awesome job with accessing funds
and compiling care packages for me to distribute.
"If you want to send chips, corn chips and savoury
biscuits, they would be much appreciated; just
pack them well. We seem to have an abundance of
chocolates, but don’t stop sending them just in case the
supply runs dry. The Tim Tams are never wasted."
Mr and Mrs Roberts have sent almost 200 packages since
May but hope to send many more during the next few
months.
Australia Post has kindly footed the postage bill and
they have also received support from businesses and
organisations including Townsville RSL, Bowen Lions,
Seaview branch of Mirani Sugar Valley Lions, Townsville
Castle Hill Lions, Townsville Rotary, PRDnationwide,
Skybury Coffee, Gideons and Australian Christmas Cards. |
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