Ice Cream Social Supports Our Troops
The Cookie Lift Project at Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church recently sponsored an Ice Cream Social at the Woodstock City Band Concert to raise money to support the troops in the Middle East. Families of the soldiers in the Woodstock National Guard's Delta Company, 1-178th Infantry Regiment were invited as special guests, and 1st Sergeant Andrew Fowles came to thank everyone for their support of his soldiers in D Co. who are stationed in Afghanistan. He gave a fascinating commentary on the picture boards showing photos of his soldiers providing humanitarian assistance to the children in the provinces where his soldiers are based.
Pictured above left to right: 1st Sgt Andrew Fowles with daughter Gracie, Mary Moltmann, Rev. Jan Kennedy, and Ed Bennett.
Girl Scout Cookies to Troops in Afghanistan & Iraq
Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church recently sent 439 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to 1 Marine and 53 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq - most of them with the Woodstock National Guard's Delta Company, 1/178th Infantry Regiment. Shown above with some of the cookies are left to right:
Row 1: Mary Moltmann, Hayden Sanders, Matt Keyzer, Amy Keyzer, and Katie Sowa.
Row 2: Gretchen Holder, Jim Holder, Dale Prindiville, Rev. Teri Peterson, Alex Riak, Bill Pittenger, Alden Riak, Scott Iddings, Jean Joslyn, Wayne Prindiville, Debi Keyzer, Wendy Sanders, Rachel Sowa, Rev. Jan Kennedy, Jack Fankhauser, Laurie Dayon, Elizabeth Riak, Alex Sowa, and Ed Bennett.
Dear Ridgefield
I wanted to send you a note and thank you all for the cookies and encouraging notes. As I am kind of a health nut, I shared them with my soldiers. I did have two lemon and one shortbread, and they were great : ) . I then went and ran for 4 hours – just kidding!
We are starting to talk about coming home. It has been a long year. I am really looking forward to getting home and getting to work again. I would love it if my wife and I could share a service with you all once I get home so I can thank you all in person for your thoughts and prayers.
All my love and prayers, Brett
RCLPC Sends St. Patrick's Day Greetings to the Troops
On Sunday, February 9, Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church members and friends made a banner wishing our troops a happy St. Patricks's Day. A copy of the photo will be included with the St. Patrick's Day care packages that we send to them.
Hi Mary -
Hope you had a nice Holiday and Happy New Year! Thank you so much for all of your hard work and efforts, we really appreciate everything you have done and continue to do for our troops and our unit. You have really made a big impact on our unit. I will be sure to get you more pictures from the distribution of all of the shoes. Thank you for helping us support the local people of Laghman & Nangahar Provinces, Afghanistan. ... We have been out on multiple patrols to meet with the local people and hand out food, clothes, blankets, and school supplies. We also hand out small toys and candy to the local children. ... Thanks again for all of your support and prayers. - a soldier in Afghanistan
  
The Cookie Lift Project has sent 451 pairs of shoes, 25 pairs of boots, and 513 pairs of socks to the soldiers to give to the children in Afghanistan. We received an email that reads, “Thank you so much. I cannot believe all of the donations, it is incredible. We will make a lot of kids very happy once we get all of these handed out. Our plan is to meet with one of the village elders and ask him the best way to distribute the shoes and socks. Sometimes it is difficult to hand the stuff out and be fair about it because the older kids take it from the younger kids, but this time we will have plenty for all of them. We are very lucky to have people like you supporting us!”
Birthday Boxes Shipped to Soldiers
Ken Nicholson, director of the Business 2 Business group of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce, is shown above while Mary Moltmann, coordinator of the Cookie Lift Project to support the troops at Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, explains the Birthday Box program. Many of the National Guard soldiers in Delta Co., 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment that deployed from the Woodstock Armory to Afghanistan signed up to participate in the Birthday program that will continue through August, 2009. Individuals, businesses, and organizations can adopt a soldier for his birthday, and either take the suggested items to the Church at 8505 Church St., or send a check for $50 written to "RCLPC" and "Birthday Box" written in the memo line to the Church and a box will be prepared and sent for them. Items requested: comedy DVD; CD; skin cream; AA and AAA batteries; snack size packages of cookies, nuts, gum, trail mix, or candy, and birthday cards and/or banners. For information please call 815 459-1132.
McHenry County Masons Present Gift to Cookie Lift Troop Project
Area Freemasons recently presented a check for $1,500 to the Cookie Lift Project of Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church that supports the troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan. The funds presented by Bro. Jonathan Horvath of Nunda Lodge in Crystal Lake were raised by McHenry County Freemasons to purchase Phone Bank minutes for the 54 soldiers of the Illinois Army National Guard Company D, 1-178th Infantry Regiment who deployed from the Woodstock Armory to Afghanistan and Phone Cards to their 54 families in the area. When Jonathan discovered that Woodstock's National Guard soldiers had adopted two soldiers who were not getting any mail, he arranged for the Masons to donate more money so that the two adopted soldiers would also get Phone Bank minutes. The Masons hope the cards will help bridge the gap between the soldiers and their families. The Masons primary aim is to make good men better through service to the community and our fellow man. For information about the Cookie Lift, please call 815 459-1132. Pictured above left to right: Rev. Teri Peterson, Mary Moltmann, Rev. Jan Kennedy, Jonathan Horvath and son Vincent.
 RCLPC Sends Christmas Stockings
to National Guard Unit in Afghanistan
Members and friends of Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church packed Christmas stockings with items contributed by church and community members for the soldiers of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment that recently deployed from the Woodstock Armory for Afghanistan. For information, please call Mary Moltmann at 815 459-1132. Pictured above left to right: Row 1: Andrew Steele and Noah Lazar. Row 2: Mary Moltmann, Dorothy Vick, Rev. Jan Kennedy, Emily Lazar, Kathy Novak, and Deb Steele. Row 3: Pat Moll, Ellene Schmidt, and Leanna Miller.
Row 4: Bob Tripp, Ann Jarvis, Nancy Vazzano, Kathy Rabe, Cheryl Brincks, and Kim Stewart. Not shown: Karl Dencker.
Dear Members of the Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
I am writing this note of thanks to you on behalf of my daughter and grand-daughter. Please accept our sincere thanks for the generous gift from your church. Your gift was very appreciated. Thank your for your prayers and your support.
- the family of a soldier who died in Afghanistan
 Mary,
I just wanted to write and say thank you. Your support is SO appreciated!
I received your last package a few days ago, the third thus far. Thanks for
taking the time and for thinking of the guys and ladies over here and
everywhere else we are. It means a lot to us just to know someone
cares....cares enough to say hi...cares enough to reach out and touch us with
a little kindness and thought. I do hope all is well with you and yours back
home. Again, thank you so much! I'm sorry to be short but need to be getting
up and at it but wanted to take the time to say thanks! ~ a solider in Iraq
Hi Mary
When I got back to the office there was another package from you, and with homemade cookies in it! : ) Thanks AGAIN! People are starting to check my packages for your name and then hang around so they'll be there when I open them! Take care and God Bless! ~ a soldier
[note: the homemade cookies remained from the Woodstock Ice Cream Social that so many of you baked for, and Connie Rasmussen sealed them in airtight bags and RCLPC sent them to our troops]
 Hi Mary
Thank you for another wonderful care package. Our youngest son went to VBS with Caroline and Owen and came home all excited to see pictures of me! Thank you for that moment. He was very proud that his Mom was part of the presentation.
Today we had a 5-mile race for the 4th of July and before the race we took a picture with the Girls on the Run banner you sent [from Joan Jensema and the members in her GOTR chapter].
Also, the grass has been a huge hit. We put it in some flower boxes outside the office and everyone loves to come by and touch it. Thanks for making this deployment bearable! ~ a soldier
Dear Friends
Thank you for your kindness and the honor you showed my dearest husband.
Sincerely,
a soldier's wife and family
Hi Mary
Thanks again for all the wonderful packages. The coffee has been a big hit and I’ll drop a note to both the Starbucks and [Swiss Maid] Bakery for the donations. Your community in IL has been amazingly supportive of all military in Afghanistan and I’m sure elsewhere too.
We are all looking forward to Easter, and I will probably fill the eggs and hide them throughout the camp for everyone : ). Please tell the members of Ridgefield that their generosity is appreciated by Air Force, Army and Navy members here at Camp Phoenix. Sincerely, a soldier
Dear Mary
Your packages are as refreshing as the coffee you sent. Please thank the folks from Starbucks as well. The outpouring of gratitude and appreciation from the people of Woodstock has been overwhelming. I was home on R&R leave a few weeks ago. When I landed in Atlanta I was met by a smiling, middle-aged, volunteer from the USO. She gave me a hug and said, “Welcome Home.” I then flew into O’Hare Airport. Home at last in Chicago. However, there was no volunteer to say, “Welcome.” In fact there was no one who said anything encouraging or welcoming. All walked with blank stares in a hurry to get to wherever they needed to go. I thought of Woodstock, of our Deployment Ceremony, of a supportive community who cared enough for us and our families to lift our spirits on one of the most difficult days of our lives. I’m certain you’ve heard of Delta Company’s loss. We’ll need you all there again, to once again lift our spirits. So it is with the deepest sincerity that I say Thank you, Mary. Please pass this letter of gratitude on to those in your fellowship. Sincerely, a soldier
Mary
Thank you so much for the care packages and the letters from the kids. Packages such as the one you sent and the accompanying letters of encouragement help reenergize me. I’m glad to know so many think of us so often and that so many pray for us just as often. I have witnessed first-hand your corporate prayers at work. God truly has protected me and my men on a number of engagements. Thanks again to you and the members of your fellowship. I am interested in shoes for the kids. Please contact me so that we can possibly coordinate such a gift to the kids. ~ A soldier
Mary
Thanks again for the wonderful package and beautiful picture of everyone holding the [St. Pat’s Day] sign. : ) I look forward to wearing my [Irish Princess] tiara on the 17th. We are having a luncheon to celebrate Women’s Day so we are making a slide show w/music and the itunes card will allow us to get music that we want. So again, thank you for your thoughtfulness. A soldier
Dear Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church
The Delta Company 1/178th Infantry Family Readiness Group would like to thank you for your very generous donation to our organization and soldiers. It has been truly heartwarming to see how generous you have been to our group. Knowing that there are people in our community that care so much for us and our soldiers helps us all to get through these long months. The assistance for the holidays and the stockings were a wonderful blessing. A real touch of home. Please remember how much we appreciate your help and caring concern.
With much appreciation,
Family Readiness Group
The Family Readiness Group of D Co. 1/178 INF would like to express their thanks for all of the support that you have provided our deployed soldiers and their families. The Chrismas stockings and Birthday boxes have been a huge hit with our soldiers. We are so blessed to have you supporting us. Again, thank you for your wonderful support! - Family Readiness Group Leader
Thank you for adopting us this Christmas. - a National Guard Family
Thank you so much for supporting our soldiers. You have done so much to show you care with the holiday assistance. The soldiers felt so loved and cared for with the stockings. My husband and his roommate even hung theirs up :-). Thank you mostly for all your faithful prayers. - wife of a soldier and the families of the Woodstock Armory
Many thanks for your generosity through your holiday assistance via adopting a family for several of our soldiers’ families. Your thoughtfulness and willingness to help made a difference to families who were missing their soldier at Christmas. Thank you also for the Christmas stockings for all the soldiers. They were wonderful! God bless. - A National Guard Family
On behalf of our family and the Family Readiness Group, I would like to say “thank you.” We appreciate all the hard work and dedication. Most importantly, thank you for all the prayers. God bless you all. - A National Guard Family
Thank you so much for your help and support this holiday season. You made everything possible for our family. - A National Guard Spouse
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and prayers during this very difficult time. You’ll never know how much your kindness has meant to all of our families. God Bless. - Mother of a National Guard Soldier
Thanks again for the great package. The valentines candy was a big hit. I should have saved it for the 14th, but I think they smelled it. I love the magzines, too, and read them first then shared..... You are all so generous and kind, and I am able to share that with everyone here. Stay warm! Thanks again!" mailed 1/28/09 from a soldier
     
Thank you so much for the Christmas Stocking & all the goodies! Nice to
have your support, hope you all have a very Merry Christmas & Happy
Holidays! Stay warm! Attached are a few pictures of the guys opening the
package. Thank you ~ a soldier
Thanks from a National Guard Family
A number of families have contributed baby, toddler, and children's clothing and car seats to the families of soldiers in the Woodstock National Guard. Following is a thank you from one of the families - "With special thanks for your kindness. Thank you for the car seat and clothes! They were much needed!"
Hi Mary –
Wow! I don’t know how to say thanks for all the packages. I hope Laurie showed you the picture of me and the birthday monkey in the humvee. The AF office that I run is hosting a Christmas open house and the Christmas decorations you sent will be perfect. I am going to put Snoopy [a 4-ft. airblown Snoopy] at the door to welcome everyone. There are about 50 troops who will either be on their way home or on their way into country and it’s good to have someplace on Christmas where they can get a taste of home. ... I hope you have a wonderful holiday and find yourself surrounded by friends and family. Please extend my thanks to everyone who assisted with the packages. They have brought many smiles and joy here. God Bless, Amy
Thank you for thinking of us. The stockings are terrific, we can all share the movies and music. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday! ~ a soldier
Dear Mary -
Thank you and everyone in your Church for the care package. It means a lot to us to hear from home, even when the message or package is from someone we don't personally know. Please accept my brief note as a heartfelt thank you from all the men in my platoon. God bless you and your Church. ~ a soldier
"Thank you for the car seat and clothes! They were much needed!" ~ a soldier's family
Mary - We wanted to thank you for everything you do for our Family Readiness Group. Thanks so much ~ family and friends of a soldier
"Thank you so much to all of you who contributed the baked goods and cards of support for our family and for the diapers.com gift certificate. Everyone has been so compassionate and we are extremely grateful for that! Thank you for brightening our day. ~ a soldier's family"
Hello. well the good news is i will be back at my base in germany for halloween. we are starting to get ready to leave this place and head back here in a few weeks or so. no need to worry about me any more. thank you and mary so much for all the packages etc. they have been very well received and much appreciated. can't wait to be back home again in december. hope all is well with you, ryan
Hello Family and Friends,
I spoke with John on the phone yesterday. He is so grateful for your outpouring of love and support! He says he opens the boxes and letters and they make him smile! Turns out he's received the third most boxes of his company. I asked if that made him popular and he said he's sort of the go-to guy for snacks and candy. Everyone he knows about has received at least one care package. John is very happily sharing his treasures.
Also he is giving to the children. He has so much compassion for them, he says they are farmers and often dirty with old clothes and no shoes. They beg, mostly for water.
Please continue to keep John in prayer: Safety, time to pass quickly, and for him to see God's beauty even where he is. Your cards, letters and pictures are greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you from the bottom of a grateful mother's heart.
May God's rich and bountiful blessings be upon you!!
Aime
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 22:04:06 -0600
hey everyone im sorry that i havent sent anything for the last couple of weeks ive been busy, real busy! right now im waiting to see if we are going to go on a patrol thats supposed to last all day, but im not sure, i love you all for sending me so many packages, but one thing, i cant use the white tshirts that some of you sent me, only olive drab cotton ones, you can usually find them in a military store, but i will send a link at a later date if i find the time. thank you so much the packages usually come in almost excellent condition, with a few hiccups every now and then, i love getting all of your pictures that youve sent me im working on putting them up on my walls. life here has been like i said, busier than ive ever been before! im looking forward to getting home on my post deployment leave, but im not supposed to say when im coming home or when im going on leave, but ill let you all know as soon as im allowed to and the dates have been set in stone. thank you all for your undying support and i look forward to hearing from you all soon! ~ a soldier
Dear Mary & Friends
Your Valentine’s day package could not have come at a better time. My Platoon and I were 5 days in on our week long field op when they actually brought us mail. This was odd because they usually wait until we’re done training and we don’t have extra stuff to carry. Anyway the snacks went like hot cakes and there was nothing left after 30 min. Also another big hit was the magazines, almost everyone had something to read while there was down time. In my 3 weeks here I’ve already been in sub-freezing temperatures and 2 full fledged sand storms, who would have thought a desert could get so cold? Overall it’s not so bad, there isn’t much to spend money on so I’m actually saving some, and I met Scarlett Johansson and got a picture with her when she visited our camp. Well that’s about the extent of life in the sand box, we all appreciate what you do for us. All I have in return is a picture of myself so you can have a face with a name. Thanks again. ~ a soldier
Dear Mary and friends,
I recieved your care package and all I can say is wow! It has everything possible to make our lives just a little bit easier, even the DVD's are a great touch. Every one appreciates the snacks and the reading material. Again I can't say thank you enough for the package and supporting us. ~ a soldier
On behalf of our command, we want to thank your church for demonstrating Christ’s love to our Marines and Sailors. Have a great day! Jon
"The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." Daniel 11:32
To All Members of Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church,
I received one of your Christmas stockings and would like to express my thanks. Unlike some of my fellow Marines I will be in the states trying to get things setup back home. However I won’t be able to spend time with my family since they moved to Texas. But growing up around the military I know what it means to have family deployed. So again I want to say thank you. And I hope that all your holidays this Christmas Season are great and filled with joy and happiness. ~ a soldier
On behalf of my Marines and myself, I would like to thank you for the Christmas stockings that you sent to MALS-29 here in Iraq. Your bit of Christmas cheer helps to go a long ways during our deployment and to brighten our days even though we can’t be at home with our loved ones. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. ~ a soldier
"It's your world, make a difference in it."
Dear members of The Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church,
I just wanted you all to know how much myself; and all of the other marines that I work with, appreciated the wonderful Christmas gifts that you put together for us. Your thoughts and prayers and kindness have not gone un-noticed and I know I speak for more than myself when I say that the gifts made the holidays all the more brighter. Again, thank you for your consideration and thoughts.
God Bless and happy holidays!
~ a soldier
Good evening to all,
My name is Cpl Parada, Jonathan. First of all I want to say thank you for the time and money that has been taking from ya’ll, to put together these stockings for the Marines here at MALS 29. Each stocking that has been received, has brought a smile to each person and a little closer to home. Thank you. ~ a soldier
Good Afternoon from Iraq. I just wanted to say thank you for the stockings. Its good to know that there are Americans like yourself supporting us while were out here. I hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year and again thank you so very much. Take care and be safe. ~ a soldier
"The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for!!"
Greetings Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church,
I would like to thank everyone for the stockings that were sent out here to Al Asad, It really brightened up my and the Marines day. There are 7 marines in my shop, and I know that many other shops received your gifts as well. They will be out here through Christmas this year so receiving reminders like this that we are still cared about back home is wonderful. The shop is hectic right now preparing for the end of the year and our eventual transition back to the states, but we wanted to drop a short note back. Thank you again for the support.
From the marines of SRD
Thank you again for the gifts ~ a soldier
RCLPC Sends 300 Christmas Stockings to Iraq in 2007
Members of Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church and people from McHenry County donated items to include in Christmas stockings that were mailed to 300 Marines and Sailors in Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron #29 at Al Asad Air Base, Anbar Province, Iraq. The stockings included hand-written notes, phone cards, CDs, DVDs, electronic games, socks, playing cards, puzzle books, batteries, grooming supplies, and candy and snacks.
Area businesses who sponsored donation boxes are McHenry County College; Huggable Hounds, Crystal Lake; Now and Then Scrapbooking, Crystal Lake; The Backdrop, Woodstock; Read Between the Lynes, Woodstock; and Java Junction, Woodstock. People pictured above who helped fill the stockings are:
Row 1: Marilyn Munz;
Row 2: Mary Moltmann, Ann Jarvis, Leanna Miller, Pat Moll, Raj Dencker, Dorothy Vick, Kathy Rabe, and Marie Randall.;
Row 3: Karen Nelson, Karen Leuchtmann, Doug Crane, Bob Tripp, Ed Bennett, and Linda Rosquist.;
Not pictured: Rev. Richard Floyd, Jodie LeFevre, Sue Hayden, Raechel Sowa, Daniel Sowa, Sherri Dees, Kim Stewart, Beth Esche, and Laura Esche.
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