“A Visit from Tanner Claus” By Arlene O’Neil.

Pictured above is a “Tanner Claus” hat, donated by “Embroid Me” of Vernon, Connecticut, nestled among gifts waiting to be wrapped and shipped to Iraq.   With the holidays approaching, I wanted to make this Christmas a little more enjoyable, not only for my son Tanner, who is serving overseas, but also for the 289 soldiers in his unit.   In an email to a friend in California, I mentioned that I thought it would be nice if every soldier in my son’s unit had at least one wrapped Christmas gift to open.

Asked what type of presents I was thinking of, immediately I pictured toys: Decks of cards, yoyo's, Matchbox cars, anything the soldiers can have fun with. Matchbox cars are a big thing there. The troops love to race them!   A few days later, Audrey emailed me from California.  She had forty-eight gifts for the men and nineteen for the women. She would also send a wreath and four homemade candy pizzas.  An email to more online friends, describing what I was trying to do, brought a response that was overwhelming!

Gifts are on their way to Iraq from Georgia, New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Michigan, Oregon, Ohio, Florida, West Virginia, and Nevada.  What started as a fleeting thought, less than a month ago, is now a reality.

A combined effort from my friend, Toniann Naso of TNT Jewelers and Rabs Country Bowling Lanes in Staten Island, New York, resulted in 250 gifts.  Individually wrapped, the gifts were shipped from New York directly to Iraq, with tags that read, “Thank You from Staten Island.”   Boxes began to arrive daily at my house.  Joyce in Florida sent a four-foot self-inflating snowman and a musical Santa.  Carolyn sent a note with eighteen brightly wrapped gifts, bearing tags that stated, “To Our Protectors. Thank You from California.”   In an email, Carolyn explained her feelings.   “Thank you for letting me take part in your special Christmas for our special Angels in Iraq. Some of the packages may not be wrapped perfectly but my six-year-old granddaughter wanted to help. Hannah just learned about Veteran’s Day and keeps asking if we can do more. She is going to tell all the kids at school what she got to do for our troops.”   Andrea, also from California and a member of the blind dog list I belong to, sent a beautiful picture of the twenty-nine gifts she will be mailing straight to Iraq.

My local coffee shop, The Daily Grind, displayed a picture of Tanner and a donation box where customers place presents to show their support.   Packages filled with yoyo’s, recorders, stencils, modeling clay, glow-in-the-dark stars, decks of cards, puzzle books, magnetic chess games, play dough, and toys of all kind, came from eleven different states. Some even included a donation to defray the cost of shipping.   I have a five-foot Christmas tree, complete with lights and ornaments, ready to ship, along with pine scented air freshener.   My son will proudly wear a Santa hat, embroidered with the words, “Tanner Claus,” as he presents each soldier with a little Christmas gift from home.   The amazing response from my online friends brought tears as each box arrived…tears of appreciation.   To all who have already helped in this effort, I say, “Thank you.” Your kindness and generosity made this project a great success. Know that you all are responsible for bringing some happiness to 289 soldiers.   Copyright 2006 Arlene O'Neil All Rights Reserved   It’s not too late to reach out.  Our troops will be celebrating New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day away from family and loved ones.   Givingyouavoice.com Internet Magazine and Arlene are partnering to help keep those serving our country stay connected to loved ones and the nation they serve through a weekly column.    If your company would like to help sponsor this exciting venture, contact Arlene at  Arleneoneil@aol.com.    About the author:   Arlene R. O'Neil is the very proud parent of a US Soldier, and Author of "Broken Spokes," a soon to be released novel.  In addition to being an author, Arlene is an editor, a member of several blind dog lists, and is involved in animal rescue and transport.  Currently, she resides in Connecticut.