AAR – “Holiday Cheer 2016”

gift

Being far from home in a hospital over the Holidays is no fun.

We were grateful to once again have the opportunity to bring some “Holiday Cheer” to recovering Marines at the hospital.

On December 7, 2016 Marine Moms-Bethesda delivered gifts and cards to the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Battalion-East Detachment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. This was our 10th year bringing cheer to patients!

The car is packed and ready to head over to Walter Reed!
The car is packed and ready to head over to Walter Reed!

With so few combat patients on the hospital ward, we focused our “Holiday Cheer” efforts on our annual card campaign and adopting three recovering Marines.

Working in partnership with the Marine Corps Liaison Office we adopted two single Marines – one male and one female, and a Marine family for the holidays. We shopped from wish lists, wrapped, and delivered the gifts to the Marine Corps Liaison Office to distribute on our behalf.

August 20_2016 flea market

Thank you to Jim and his friend, Gladys, Katie, and Jerry for your help with the flea market tables this summer, raising funds toward Holiday Cheer.

Many thanks to Nancy and her friends in Connecticut for the gift bag items, and to Andria in Florida for the beautiful hand-crocheted afghan.

Special Thanks to Choptank Marine Corps League Detachment and “Elf Jan” for your very generous donations toward the event.

The cards were beautiful, thank you to the card senders!

We appreciate the Liaison Staff working with us – for their time, their advice, and for caring for those in their care. Thank you!

Here’s what we did:

We shopped specifically for the items on the lists and included a gift card in each batch of presents.

hoodie
A Hoodie and Subway gift cards.
A juicer and a Giant Foods gift card.
Graco playset
Graco “Just Like Mom” playset. (photo credit Walmart.com)
Legos
LEGO Super Heroes Super Hero Airport Battle set.
iTunes gift card
An iTunes gift card.
Kitchen Aide stand mixer
Kitchen Aide stand mixer and Giant Foods gift card.
gift cards
Some of the gift cards. The boxes with the bows are for the gift cards. We bought a few extra for patients who might be coming in over the holidays.

There were also gift bag items provided by Nancy and Lin from Connecticut and their “Elfs” – for pick-me-ups for the ladies. They donated crossword puzzle books, lip balm, body wash, and hand cream, and we added face wipes, bath poofs and the bags. Caretakers need pampering, too!

Gift bag items for the ladies
Gift bag items for the ladies.
Gift bags for the ladies.
Gift bags for the ladies.

The office we delivered to is a place the patients and their families can go with questions about non-medical issues, and for support and advice.

Below are pictures of the gifts in the office, ready for delivery.

We left the extra Christmas cards, gift bags, afghan, and candy there, too.

What’s Christmas without Peppermint Candy?

peppermint candy and extra gift cards.
peppermint candy and extra gift cards.

One of the things we include on our luncheon menus is Mountain Dew. It’s hard to come by at the hospital and we’ve learned through experience some of our guests love it.

Guess what was sitting in a corner in her office? Yep, Mountain Dew!

gifts in the office

Gifts ready for delivery.
Gifts ready for delivery.

The afghan was hand-crocheted by Andria, a Corpsman’s and a Marine’s mom, so it was most definitely made with LOVE and is now in a good home!

Here are some of the cards. Lots of variety, including handmade laser cut cards.

2016 Holiday Cheer cards.

inside card
Inside some of the cards: “Merry Christmas from our Military Family to you.  May God Bless you this Holiday Season.”

2016 Holiday Cheer cards

Merry Christmas cards
These are from the Choptank MCL Detachment. One of the Marines who signed them was at Iwo Jima.
The cards, ready to give out.
The cards, ready to give out.

Thank you so much for your caring generosity and your help bringing “Holiday Cheer” to Marines this year. You’ve really brightened their stay during their recovery and rehabilitation at Walter Reed!

We received a sweet thank note from the Marine family.

...We wish you guys a happy New Year filled with blessings:)

I always feel like it’s we who should be saying “thank you!” – for their selfless service on our behalf.

Wishing each of you All the Best in 2017!

With Gratitude and Respect,

Jane

Hoiday Cheer gift