thrift alert: search for Beanies!

Lori, my best friend in Illinois, has put out an APB on Beanie Babies. Not because she wants them, but because they're serving as Embassadors of Good Will in Iraq. Details:

Hi all,

As you know, my son Brian is serving in Iraq right now. I've inadvertently spear-headed a wonderful project sending beanie babies to him and his comrades. With the help of many others, hundreds of toys have been sent over, and distributed to the children in the villages hey work for. The soldiers love it, the kids love it, and more importantly, Brian informed me 2 days ago, the interpreter in his company said they're doing wonders for relations between the U.S. soldiers and the communities they're working in. After all, make a kid happy, make his parents happy, right?

The project has grown and grown, to the extent that I've decided to step it up a bit. I've created a website. It's still under construction, but I want to hurry up and get it out there.

Please, if you do nothing else, send this link to everyone you've ever heard of, and ask them to forward it. As it says on my blog, I'll make ya some spaghetti if you do!

http://www.toys-for-troops.com/

My love and thanks to you all.

Lori

I recently sent a flat rate box to Brian containing 8 Beanies I found at 22nd Street and Goodwill, along with other stuff a soldier might find useful. Eight's just a molecule in a drop in a bucket, if you know what I mean. Brian reports that they want all the Beanies they can get.

Centuries from now I'm hoping anthropologists will marvel at the mass exodus of all US Beanie Babies to the Middle East. Thanks for getting the Beanies rolling, Lori, and thanks for offering us the opportunity to show we care for these children. It's something little each and every one of us can do to make a difference.

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