Coastal Bend Troop Support

Patriotic Concert

2010-03-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

On Jan. 25th the Rockport-Fulton HS Band and Choir presented a stirring program saluting all veteran and active duty military personnel and honoring America. The choir and band members gave an outstanding performance; sound effects to enhance the music and the message exhilarated the audience. Everyone participated by standing when the music for their branch of service or their family members was played and that service flag came front and center. Everyone left with uplifted spirits and renewed appreciation for country and defenders of liberty. (Video is a bit shaky but the music is outstanding.)

Oysterfest 2009 Parade

2010-03-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Oysterfest is a fund-raising event for the Fulton, TX, VFD. This year our support group partnered with the Brisket Bums cook-off team to decorate and man a float for the parade. Carla helped decorate and was joined by Carol and Tommy Woodman. Along with the Brisket Bums they spread the word along the parade route. Pfc William Loosemore (on our boxing list) and 3 of his buddies from our area, all on active duty , led the float on its route and received loud cheering and support. The float won the 1st place trophy!!! Well deserved!

PGR Presents Funds

2010-02-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

South Texas Patriot Guard Riders, along with Jersey's owners and staff, came out to Carla's to present the proceeds from the Chile Cookoff. A total of $2500 was raised to benefit the troops. Jersey's owner Mike wrote the check and presented to Dan of the PGR, who later presented it to our project. The riders had a chance to see where we work and learn more about our operation. Norma Martinez came out and covered the event for the Rockport Pilot and took a picture of everyone. DiAnne, Carla, Frances and Jimmie had fun sitting on the big bikes.

More Chile Cookoff

2010-02-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

Carla educates folks about our project; a young Marine participates and poses with Carmen of Jersey's Bar and Grill; Frankie De La Garza and family came out (he was on our mailing list); DiAnne, Frances and Carla pose with Mrs. Rockport-Fulton.

Chile Cookoff for the Troops

2010-02-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

On Jan. 16 a Tolbert Chile Cookoff was held at Jersey's Bar and Grill to raise money for our troops project. The Patriot Guard Riders headed up the sponsors; lots of good chile was cooked and sold; contributions and an auction garnered more $$. Active duty military and many retired and ex-military came out to lend support.

At Live Oak Elementary, Rockport

2009-12-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

For the third year the students and staff at Live Oak, under the leadership of Susie Moss, Counselor, have filled stocking boxes for Christmas mailing. This year we had two Air Force active duty servicemen visit the school to personally thank the students for boxes they received while serving in the Middle East.

Local Churches Share the Christmas Spirit

2009-11-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

We loaded 54 stocking boxes at First Presbyterian Church, Rockport. Beverly Jacobson of FPC coordinates the stocking box project for her church and St. Peter's Episcopal as well. Her sister coordinates from Gateway Church in Ingleside/Gregory where they also filled boxes. Full of goodies, gifts, letters and pictures, the boxes will surely brighten the season for our troops so far from home this year.

H-E-B Partners Share Christmas

2009-11-18T17:32:00.000-08:00

These Rockport H-E-B partners filled 20 stocking boxes to share with the troops. They and other co-workers collected the items and wrote many thank-yous to include in the boxes. This community spirit has kept our project going and brought Christmas cheer to many so far from home.

6000 Boxes Mailed

2009-11-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 14 a milestone of 6003 boxes mailed was reached. Approximately 80 boxes were mailed this day, the first of several hundred that will be mailed during the Christmas season.

Thanking the Supporters

2009-11-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

Melanie Harris came to Carla's on our work day to personally thank everyone for the support she received while deployed to Iraq. We had a great visit with her, recognizing that she exemplifies the outstanding young men and women in our military. We expect her to excel as she continues her service to our country.

Special Welcome Home

2009-11-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

CC Airport was buzzing with Patriot Guard Riders and our troop support group, welcoming home Melanie Harris from her tour in Iraq as an Army medic. We sent care packages to Melanie each month during her deployment. Joyce Barnes, our top-notch patriot, posed with Melanie outside the airport.

Elves of Del Mar College

2009-11-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

On Oct. 27 Dr. Judi Phillips and Suzi Johnson from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi came with a pickup load of donations for the troops. Students and staff had collected, sorted and boxed a large assortment of the items needed to fill our boxes. They did a great job of getting these things together and delivered, and our group really enjoyed getting them ready for the big Christmas boxing and mailing.

At Little Bay Primary, Rockport

2009-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Kindergartners were enthusiastic about sharing the Christmas boxes and their thoughts of the soldiers fighting to keep us free. Bahia Bay supporters Carla Reed, DiAnne Lewis and Jimmie Kelly enjoyed meeting them, their teacher and the principal.

Early Christmas Elves

2009-10-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Toni Martinez, Kindergarten teacher at Little Bay Primary, challenged her students and the other teachers and students at the school to fill stocking boxes to send to our men and women serving in the Middle East. They filled 20 boxes and we picked them up on October 15th. We expect to send several hundred stocking boxes as well as other care boxes this year, our 5th to share Christmas with our troops.

Independence Day

2009-06-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Steven Hodge Visits

2009-03-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

After a year in Afghanistan, Steven Hodge is home again, stationed now out of Baton Rouge. He came to Rockport to visit mom, Susan, and stopped by on the 18th of March to thank our group for care packages. While overseas Steven found and purchased his BMW on E-Bay; it was shipped to his mom in Rockport, another reason for him to be here. One of our most involved volunteers, Joyce Barnes of Mathis, sped over to help on this day, and got an unwanted speeding ticket in her haste to bring the many items she had bought for the boxes and to meet Steven. She's thinking of trading her Mercury sedan for a new, speedier model.

Beginning Our Fifth Year

2009-03-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

On March 18 we sorted, bagged, rearranged and worked on troop lists, labels and customs forms, getting ready to mail this month's care boxes to our troops. On the 20th, we packed boxes and readied them for mailing; on the 21st, about 82 boxes were put in the mail. Next month will mark the beginning of our project's fifth year. Lucille and Donna, two of our Winter Texan volunteers, pitched in and helped for the last time before returning North for the warmer months.

Sailor and Daughter Help Pack Boxes

2008-12-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

MA2 J.D. Villa stopped by with 5-year old Lexie to thank us for past support and to help pack boxes for troops still serving in the Middle East. Lexie's mom, DC2 Raina Villa is serving aboard the USS Iwo Jima, so Lexie packed a special box just for her.

Churches Involved

2008-11-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

Rockport's First Presbyterian and St. Peter's Episcopal members combined to fill 76 stocking boxes for our project. Beverly Jacobson promotes all the military support at FPC, a real ambassador for the troops. Her son Todd is on his way home after a second tour in Iraq. Daniel Garcia, a FPC member, was part of the group collecting the boxes. His son, MSgt Ruben Garcia, is currently serving in Afghanistan and receives care boxes from our group.

More Stocking Boxes

2008-11-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

One of our Winter Texan supporters, Donna Jensen, brought many boxes filled by the folks out at the Lagoons RV Park. Live Oak Learning Center students filled many boxes under the guidance of Counselor Susie Moss. Prosperity Bank in Rockport keeps a display in their lobby promoting our troop support projects. What a great network of Americans supporting our finest so far from home.

Stocking Boxes for the Troops

2008-11-20T17:54:00.000-08:00

Rachel Weaver spends part of her year in Minnesota and the rest in Rockport. She has encouraged all her Mah Jongg buddies at the Rockport Country Club to join her in the Stocking Box project. Her efforts have produced 29 boxes, filled with Christmas goodies, as well as generous cash donations for postage.

Santa's Elves

2008-11-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

Joyce Barnes of Mathis, 83 years young, and Katie Costello of Corpus Christi, get into the giving Spirit of Christmas, remembering so many young men and women far from home during the holidays.

Getting Into the Spirit of Giving

2008-11-06T07:58:00.001-08:00

Ramona LeBlanc, Joyce Barnes, Carla, Katie Costello, and Diane Lewis have a little fun with the trees, bears and reindeer. We hope the troops have even more fun.

Getting Ready for Christmas

2008-11-06T07:37:00.001-08:00

We began getting ready for our Christmas mailings last January, shopping the after-holidays sales and got great buys. Wal-Mart donated large boxes of Christmas items; we had a problem finding storage space for the next 9-10 months. Neighbors opened their doors and extra space was found. So on Nov. 5 we had our first big workday before packing the first boxes filled with a singing Christmas tree, snowman, or reindeer, as well as Christmas cards to mail home, a holiday music CD, holiday decorations and a small hygiene kit. Over the next month we will pack and send boxes with Christmas stockings and goodies, one filled with candy and food items and finally a gift box. Our total should be at least 700 mailed in November and December. Many individuals and businesses have given for this effort; lots of volunteer hours have gone into the efforts of getting the boxes packed and off to the Post Office in time. Merry Christmas from South Texas!!! Ho! Ho! Ho!

October 13, 2008

2008-10-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

This day was proclaimed Carla Reed Day in Aransas County, honoring her leadership in the troop support efforts for the past 3 1/2 years. Commissioner Oscar Pina and Judge Martin DeLeon led the efforts and the Commissioner's Court agreed. There were at least 12 of the support group there, along with her family, to honor her. Later the same afternoon some of the group went to the CC airport to welcome home from Iraq MA2 Cowan and his Military Working Dog after 8 months in Iraq. We stood with the PGR in the flag line on this special day.

Packing Boxes

2008-10-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

The day L.C. visited the group was busily packing boxes, sealing and getting ready for mailing. Working together makes the job go smoothly and in a timely manner.

Navy Corpsman L.C. Weathersby Visited

2008-10-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

Our group of volunteers packed and readied for mailing almost 100 boxes on this Friday afternoon. L.C. Weathersby was on our mailing list the past 5 months and just returned from duty in Iraq. This 23-year old sailor plans to make a career in the military and shared some of his experiences and plans with us. His proud mom came, thankful to have him home for a short visit. Norma Martinez of the Rockport Pilot came out to meet L.C. and interview him for a future story. Joyce Barnes of Mathis, long-time supporter of our efforts, was on hand to welcome L.C. and celebrate her 83d birthday. These young men and women who serve in such trying times are the hope of our future, and we will continue to care for them until they all come home.

August 2008 Mailing

2008-09-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

2007 Mailings

2008-09-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

Going Postal

2008-09-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

After the boxes are packed, sealed and addressed, with customs forms for each attached, they are loaded into someone's vehicle, usually Carla's, and taken to the Post Office. In the early days of this project, time at the Post Office was not too long. As time passed and our troop list grew, we took up lots of postal time since each box must be weighed, scanned, and the customs forms stamped and separated. Other patrons often grew impatient though some were motivated to help; once someone paid for all the postage, over $200. Now we often go before or after regular hours to process the 100 boxes, usually about an hour's work if there are 4-6 volunteers helping. These pictures show the group working over the last 3 years and how it has changed. The Rockport Post Office staff helps to make our efforts go smoothly.

Sgt Frankie De La Garza Comes Home

2008-08-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

For over a year our group has sent care packages to Sgt De La Garza in Iraq. What a thrill it was on Aug. 16 to join the Patriot Guards, his family and friends, and many citizens in downtown Rockport to welcome him home.

2008-08-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home

2008-08-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

There is great satisfaction in welcoming home one of our brave young people returning from service in the Middle East. The Corpus Christi airport is often busy with troops deploying as well as returning home. We have joined the Patriot Guard Riders to help provide lines of honor in support of these heroes and their families.

2008-08-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

2008-08-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Packing Boxes

2008-08-01T14:09:00.001-07:00

On Aug. 1 we got together and packed our boxes, about 90 on this day. We worked very steadily for about 2 hours and got it all done: some assembled the boxes, then some began filling with hygiene kits, snacks, candy, sun and bug kits, personal care items and more. Then letters were added to explain our mission, and the boxes closed and sealed; the last step was to add the mailing label and customs forms before loading in the back of the SUV. The Post Office handles our boxes before or after hours to avoid long lines and impatient patrons.

2008-08-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

2008-08-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Workday on July 30, 2008

2008-08-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

This is our most recent workday prior to beginning this blog. The purpose of the blog is to chronicle and share the history and activities of our group and the reasons behind our continuing efforts. Since the Spring of 2005 our group has been packing and sending care boxes to our brave men and women in the Middle East who are in the service of our great country. It is because of them and many who came before them that we can live in this beautiful area on the Central Gulf Coast of Texas.