Support-A-Platoon

Support-A-Platoon is simply a way we can say thanks and show our support for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We periodically ship them a variety of food items. One of their big favorites are the home-made cookies. We have thousands of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Let them know we appreciate them. For more information please contact me at John@kurowski.com.

On behalf of the troops, thanks for your consideration.

From the Troops

John,

I have been taking your packages around my base and dropping them off to my guys at our ECP (which is our Entry Control Point) - basically a set of guard positions that allow foot and vehicle traffic into and out of Camp Phoenix. Everyone has loved the goodies. The cookies and fudge have been going like hotcakes. I have enclosed a picture of a couple of my guys after opening one of the boxes. These are my night shift guys and they love to get any treats they can get their hands on. We have been extremely busy, but I will continue to get pictures when I can with my guys enjoying your group's treats. I have to once again thank you and all of your helpers for the incredible amount of work and love that went into the packages, the cards, and the pictures. I can’t even imagine how much time it must have taken to bake 3000 cookies...........it will definitely take us less time to eat them!

I hope the last email (See Delivering School Supplies Below) gave the boy with spina bifida some insight into the life the kids lead over here. It is truly crazy just how these people live and how little they have. We do what we can with schools and supplies, we also make "donuts" - which are small compressed disks that can be used as burning fuel for the homes, but the need is almost too great to comprehend and for everyone we help there are thousands that we don't get to.

Anyway, my guys wanted me to send their heartfelt thanks for all that you and Support A Platoon are doing for us. Homemade items give them a bit of a feeling of home in a place where it is needed the most. Your people are awesome and the time they have dedicated to making our time here a bit more enjoyable is inspiring. You are all the true heroes.

Sincerely,

2LT Michael O'Rourke
Platoon Leader

2011 Christmas Cookie Drive

Some of the Very Generous People Who Made the Cookie Drive a Success

Melissa's All American Baking Team
Art & Cuisine Adventures
Colorado Center for Physical Therapy
Colorado Center for Physical Therapy
Connie Yamauchi Team
Connie Yamauchi Team
Desiree & Eileen
Desiree & Eileen
Eric - Tallgrass Kitchens & Baths
Eric - Tallgrass Kitchens & Baths
Godi Group
Godi Group
Randy - Colorado Cobra Club
Randy - Colorado Cobra Club
The Beckers
The Beckers
The Fricke Team
The Fricke Team
The Kennedys
The Beckers
The Robbins Team
The Robbins Team
The Shinn Group
The Shinn Group
Di and Bailey Team
Di and Bailey Team

Excerpts from Letters from Mrs. Schenk’s 4th grade Class at Alpine Elementary, Longmont

"We hereby thank you for helping our country. And as of that, the Sergeant might promote you. ….we love the fact that you’re risking your life for our freedom. As your result, you win a smarties! My mission is accomplished." H.

"All I want to do is thank you for risking your life fighting for the freedom of our country." S.B. "Thank you for risking your life for the kids." H.

"We hope you come home safely to your family." S.T.

"I also want to thank you for inspiring me to be brave and be true to myself and respect my country and my family." M.P.

"I want to be a soldier too! I hope one of you gets to read this and if you do I just want you to know I’m very proud of you!" A.M.

"Thank you for risking your lives to save us, to give us freedom. I was inspired to become a soldier to help the country be free. I love helping people to become as caring as you…" A.J.

Delivering School Supplies

Lt. Mike handing out school kits. "The Principle is the man in both pictures with the blue blazer and white shirt. He made me promise him today that I would come back and have tea with him as a show of thanks - we couldn't stay there too much longer than we did for operational security purposes."

"Afghan girls are taught in separate classrooms from the boys, but they used to be forbidden from school. As part of our contract with the local population we tell them that we will help build these schools and support them but only if they guarantee to teach both boys and girls."

Melissa and Her All American Cookie Bakers

We had a great response to the October Cookie drive for a platoon we are supporting in Afghanistan. Halloween was the theme. A special thanks to Diana, Dale, Kay, Penny, Megan, Kathy, Connie, and Melissa and her All American Cookie Bakers we shipped 5 large boxes of cookies and treats to a Platoon in Camp Phoenix in Afghanistan. They got them in time for Halloween. The troops loved them and the personal notes that went with them.

Reasons to Support-a-Platoon

"Can We Imagine"

Can we imagine a war and all of its strain,
with constant commitment they guard through the rain,

Can we imagine the war causes of fears,
but look at their faces is that their sweat or their tears'

Can we imagine what the fallen have given,
for we must remember for we are the livin',

Can we imagine they were the brave,
and now we must stand for all that they gave,

Can we imagine them looking down and how we must feel,
when we quietly place on the ground our gentle kneel,

Can we imagine as we silently pray for thee,
that we honor God, country, you, yes all thee,

Can we imagine the loved ones and all of their pain,
as these guards with great pride always stand in the rain,

Can we imagine that we all pray for the end,
for all the things of war that cause us to bend,

Can we imagine the sun forever so bright,
that brings us the hope with its dawn early light,

Can we imagine of what our veterans all gave,
as we all stand most silent at this holy grave.

Thoughts and words by John Kurowski