Recap of 2007's Project Rudolph
Jan. 15, 2008 -- I guess since Christmas of '07 has come to a close it would be appropriate to write a recap on the events of the last few months.
Project Rudolph has taken off in ways I could have never imagined. If you would have mentioned Project Rudolph to me 18 months ago I would have had no idea what you were talking about. Now, two Christmases later, Project Rudolph bags have been distributed to approximately 5,250 servicemen and women, and we have gone from a small grass roots family effort to something that crosses the United States and Europe.
The goal for this year was 3,000 bags. And by Dec 1, we weren't sure if we were going to do that many. By Dec 15 we had 3,500 done and ready to be distributed and then shortly after Christmas another 500 were put together and shipped downrange.
We had businesses step up and donate items and money to help. The Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, church organizations, National Honor Societies, elementary, middle and high schools stepped in to help out.
The outpouring was so great that I still have a basement of odds and ends that will continue to be handed out througout the year.
My husband was able to hand out several hundred bags to the Soldiers and Marines he serves with in Iraq, and I will try to post some of those photos as well.
The highlight for me this year was when my mom and dad flew out fron Idaho to help hand out bags. My dad was such a hit at the airport that the Armed Forces Network came out, intending to do another story on me and the organization, but were so enamered with my dad that he stole the spotlight. People still stop me in the halls of the hospital to tell me how great my dad is.
Bari Hutchison, a senior from Malta Idaho, also made the long trek over to Germany to help out. She used Project Rudolph as her senior project and not only helped gather a large number of donated items from her school district, she also raised well over $1,000 to pay for her own way over here to help distribute bags.
Thank You to everyone who helped make Project Rudolph 2007 a success.
Gratefully yours,
Tawny Campbell - founder of Project Rudolph
2009 Project Rudolph Update
This year has been remarkable and we have seen some amazing miracles. We started with a Christmas in July in Germany where 300 volunteers came out to help assemble more than 1,500 bags.
From August-December volunteers from across the world wrote letters, collected ornaments, decorated bags and gathered candy and mailed them off to Germany and Idaho.
In November and December assembly bag days were held in Idaho and Germany where another 9,500 Project Rudolph bags were assembled.
In December the Archibalds in Idaho mailed 6,500 bags to Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Africa and another 2,000 were mailed from Germany. More than 500 bags were handed out at the American Military hospital in Landstuhl Germany and 3,000 bags were handed out to troops at Ramstein PAX terminal in Germany.
Due to items arriving after the assembly bag day another mini assembly day was held on Jan 2, 2010 and another 1,000+ bags were assembled and shipped downrange.
Thanks to all the volunteers who made this year amazing.
- Tawny Campbell, International Director
Dear Project Rudolph Supporters,
Each year we have till Nov. 11 (Veteran's Day) to get Project Rudolph donations in the mail....
Many of you know are famililar with the charity Project Rudolph where we send thoudands of Christmas gift bags to our troops downrange, those transitioning through the Ramstein Germany PAX terminal the week before Christmas and those deployed to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and the patients being treated there.
Each bag includes:
- Hand decorated brown lunch bag
- 2 hand written letters from children/youth
- 1 hand written letter from an adult
- 1 non-breakable, preferably flat, Christmas ornament with 'Project Rudolph 2008' written on it
We handed out 2,000+ bags in 2006, close to 5,000 bags in 2007 and 8,000 bags in 2008.
If we hand out 7,500 bags we will need 22,500 letters and 8,000 ornaments (Historically, some ornaments are unusable or broken when they get to us).
If anyone has Christmas ornaments they would like to donate or make, or has a group (church, work, scouts, ect) they could get involved to help us get the letters going that would so so great. It takes abut 6 months to get everything together each year, so I am starting now.
Letters CANNOT:
- Ask any questions about war, injuries, killing, ect (Believe it or not 10% of all letters cannot be delivered because of this)
- Be politically motivated or mention politicians or political affiliation
- Be type written or a photocopy
- Be in a sealed envelope (all letters have to reviewed before being handed out)
Letters CAN:
- Express support and appreciation
- include a drawing (if from a child)
- Tell about the writer's family, life, likes, ect.
- Share personal experiences that motivate
Thank you all. If you have any questions or would like more information. Contact me at:
e-mail: taznjo@hotmail.com
website: www.projectrudolph.homestead.com
write: Tawny Campbell
CMR 402 Box 2414
APO AE 09180
We are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit charity. We are also part of America Supports You.
- Thanks,
Tawny Campbell, Landstuhl Germany
