Folks Of Interest Operation: Christmas HAMB

Ok, here's your chance for the Hot Rod community to UNITE for a great cause!! Hot Rod Ch***is & Cycle is spearheading Operation: Christmas HAMB. At the holiday season, it really ****s to be in a combat zone. And I mean really. I'm sure that anyone who has a loved one overseas will miss them from this end. And more than likely you'll be surrounded by your family. But for them, they won't be unwrapping that new manifold, or opening that vintage speed part you looked so hard for them for. I know first hand what it's like to be at war on Christmas day.

With that in mind, I talked to Ryan about Operation: Christmas HAMB. I'm asking for the following:

First, for Alliance Vendors shop owners around the country to volunteer their shops as drop off points.

Second, for t-shirt vendors and publishers to provide donated t-shirts, books, and magazines (back issues or whatever) and send them to your favorite shop, or right here to Hot Rod Ch***is & Cycle.

Third, for the HAMB Nation to pick up a Hot Rod, Custom, or Kustom Kulture related item and drop them at one of the volunteer shops in your area.

Fourth: Once collected (we'll set a deadline date), we'll need volunteers to box up and then deliver items to a TBA organization that will take it from there. I'm going to talk to a representative from the American Legion Ladies Aux. tonight. If that works out, you'll be able to take the stuff to an American Legion near one of the volunteer shops. Which we'll also post those later (just as soon as we know who the volunteer shops are.)

Next, how do we pick a soldier or unit out? Well, if there are HAMBers overseas that you know of, or a HAMB members family member that you know of, please PM me their address and we'll take care of getting them the right stuff for Christmas. If they have other members in their units that are Hot Rodders, just let us know how many there are in their units and we'll hook them up too.

And for those across the pond in one of our allied nations that would like to help out, we'll need a volunteer in each of those countries. Doc Watson, can you smell locomotive smoke? How about you in Aussyland?

Ok everyone, now it's up to you!!!

 

What a wonderful idea Kevin!
I'm not a shop BUT I am pretty centrally located in the metro Detroit area and just about everyone around here knows where I live PLUS I have a nice weatherproof back porch that stuff can be left on in case I can't be around during the drop off time.

I can also arrange with the GMB's up north/mid-Michigan to meet for breakfast next month and I can collect stuff from them.

Denise Sheldon
29129 Oriole
Livonia, MI 48154
734-673-6930

 

No problems here with being a drop off point in NC. NC is also has a pretty big military contingent as both Bragg and Lejeune are here.

 

count me in...I'll send some tee shirts...how about a shipping address for either someone here on the left coast or I can ship some to you ZMAN.

 

It sounds like if something needs to get shipped that it should go to Kevin.

 

ahhh yes... I have FOND memories of some fellas from Lejeune...

 

I can send in a small check and it can be used towards shipping or whatever.

 

if you don't plan on keeping this past year's copies of your magazines, this is a great way to 'recycle'...

 

One thing you have to watch out for is the content of the magazines. We sent many copies of our mag to Desert Storm but the inside front cover had a scantly clad woman in a powder coating ad. They had to tear the covers off of all 2500 copies of the mags.

With some of the magazines out today, many might not make it to our troops in the big sand box.

 

If the Women's Auxillary doesn't work out try the USO. There are lots of branches in lots of places. I just took a TON of car mags there and they were stoked. They send out packages almost daily!

To find your local USO go here:
http://uso.org/whoweare/findyourlocaluso/uslocations/

If you don't have a drop off location in Northeast Ohio let me know, I'd be happy to help out.

Great project, thanks for doing this. I know the HAMB nation will step up!

 

I am in... let me know how I can help

 

Ok Folks. I just got off the telephone with the Ladies Aux. here. She said they would do it no problem. Here's what they need:

-- They prefer addresses for a specific soldier, or one specific soldier that's willing to distribute to other hot rodders in his unit.

--That EACH SHOP would need to contact the VFW Ladies Aux. or the American Legion Ladies Aux. to see if they do a Christmas shipping. If they do, just make a contact there, and let them know they'll have everything by the 6th.

--Items need to fit in a FLAT RATE SHIPPING BOX. Doesn't matter how much, or how weighty.

--It all NEEDS TO BE DROPPED OFF NO LATER THAN THE 6th OF DECEMBER. To make it over to the Sand Box.

--We'll divy up the address's to each shop, and then that shop and it's volunteers will be responsible for USING A PAPER GROCERY BAG TO FILL WITH ITEMS FOR A SPECIFIC SOLDIER/SAILOR/AIRMAN/MARINE.

I'll start another thread with drop off points and rules, and we'll use this one to volunteer. If you're going to volunteer, please also PM me your address and contact information and I'll post it at the Drop Off Thread.

Please pay close attention to the directions in the other thread.

 

i can be a drop off point in se pa/philly area

 

So far, Rod & Custom and Hometown Hot Rods are sending boxes of issues to distribute!! AWESOME!!!

 

awesome idea! BTTT for good ideas!

 

GREAT idea!!!

I'll toss in some T-shirts!!!

Denise- Call me when you want me to deliver them, etc.

Larry 248.496.0323.

 

So everyone knows, if I get a list of guys at the same base, I'm going to divvy up the names a****st all the volunteer shops so one unit doesn't get stuff from all the same place.

 

Drop stuff off whenever is convienant for you and just leave on my back porch by the sliding gl*** door. I'm heading to the Turkey Rod Run so I'm not going to be home for almost two weeks.

 

I have an addy for "Frank" who was at the Greaserama and Choptops gig here in KC........I asked him if I could send him a messload of magazines "car related (Goodguys and Street Rodder) and I have a bunch of Maxim and Stuff and FHM that were in a box of HOTROD magazines that I bought and he said "Sure, we really would appreciate them" and that I can send them in the "flatrate" box for $10.90 (it is about the size of a record albumn and about 5 inches thick)........I also asked him if I could send him "*******" and he said "Nope, sorry no ****"......but, he said that the Maxim and FHM magazines would go thru. I can PM you his addy and he is a car guy and he just got stationed in a VERY remote area of Iraq.

Chris Nelson
Kansas

Oh yea, I know that this may be off the wall.........but, didn't someone send "Zeke" and old iPod a couple of years back and he was tickled pink......so if you have an old iPod that is collecting drop one off........or put a compilation CD of music and burn it to a disc for the guys to listen to.........just some random thinking.

 

Anyone know if these guys can get acess to a DVD player? I'll gladly donate some copies of "The Road to Bonneville" for them to watch...

 

All great ideas. PM me his address and we'll add it to the list. 36CHeVrOLeT on here turns out to be a First Seargent over there, and has provided some addresses for four other guys. He's actually going to hold a formation tomorrow to see if there are any other car guys or soldiers without family to send them stuff for Christmas.

Django is going to work on getting some Christmas cards printed. If the printer will come through with them, we'll have Christmas cards to send everyone to sign and put into each package. COOL!

 

The CD's are a great idea. I'm sure that anywhere they have access to a laptop, they can watch a DVD. If the base is large enough, they'll have an MWR Tent (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) that will have something. They are the brance of each service that takes care of exactly what the name says. Movies, having a gym, base ball and sports supplies, etc. Maybe someone will donate MFS / Hot Rod Havoc / Vintage Torque videos too?!

Anyone who want's to put a compilation CD together is welcome to. Mail it pronto to our shop or one of the other drop off points.

 

Kevin,
AWESOME idea....count me in, brother. Just PM'd you....

 

Kevin, I am in! Let me now what I can do to help out.
Jimmy White

 

I knew I could count on you guys!!! I listed you Jimmy on the Drop Off Point list in the other thread.

Ebert!!! You're the MAN! He's donating MFS DVD's!!!!!! I'm sure the guys will be stoked over there!

 

Kevin, YOU are the man for helping make a better Christmas (and Hanukah) for our guys and gals who are preserving our freedom. Thanks for your efforts!!!!!!!
Ebert

 

Great Idea Kevin!!! Besides Hot Rod related items, will you except other items such as toothpaste, shampoo, deordant, razors, etc? Or is that getting too bulky ?

 

I am STOKED beyond words. I spent last Christmas in the middle east and it ****ed bad. I thinlk all the ideas are rad. I have a few ideas and tips. I have seen and PM"D quite a few fellow military(I am still active duty) here on the hamb. We should see where they are deployed and get things off to them. Also having been in for ten years I know that people are not just deployed to the Middle east for the holidays there are people all over the world and no matter where you are if you are not with you family it ****s.

 

As for movies and music it is a great idea almost everybody now has a laptop over there or believe it or not almost everyone has a t.v in there tent now a days.

Also i would not worry about the content of magazines you can get just aboput all the Maxim type magazines over there now.

I will do some work on my end to get some addresses. I know there are a few Navy roll calls here on the hamb so I will post in there to stir up some buzz..

SW1(SCW) Slipich
U.S. Navy Seabee

 

Man, I missed this. Hell yeah Im in! Any Aussies that want to help out let me know.

Doc.