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January 2006
Posts: 1487
Location: Michigan | i know that the ofc has done this before but i do not know who we used to do it . i see that there is an organization guitars4troops.com that does it.do any of you know which honest charities would be the best way of getting a guitar into the hands of a vet overseas ? if you can steer me in the best direction to do this let me know . GWB |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I caution about soliciting the membership |
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September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | I was the lucky recipient of a guitar from some gracious members here when I was in Iraq and I can tell you without a doubt it made a huge difference in boosting my morale and the morale of others who were able to use it over there as well.
You don't have to find a specific organization to send it through, you can do it yourself easily through the US Postal Service (this is in fact how I sent t home ahead of me when I left).
I would insure it, pack it and pad it carefully (really carefully, boxes going overseas even though they are going to troops are subjected to some pretty harsh conditions).
A hard case, inside a padded (bubble wrap, newspaper, whatever) tough cardboard box is best).
I would suggest unless you have a specific recipient in mind, I would be happy to do a little research for you and find some units either from your home State, mine, whatever you prefer) that are currently deployed, and get an address from you after I contact a Unit member and see if anybody is hankering for a guitar.
That said, Guitars4troops.com is probably the easiest way to go if you just want a servicemember to get a guitar. You send them the guitar, and they will see it gets into the hands of some deserving servicemember.
The way they work is servicemembers can go on their site and request a guitar from them, they don't just arbitrarily send guitars out to Units. If one is available, they send one. I requested one for one of my buddies over ther and he didn't get one, I'm sure they don't have tons of guitars to hand out in any event.
If I can help, pm me, or go ahead and give guitars4troops a shot.
Either way you will definately be doing someone a great favor and a needed show of support for their efforts.
I say THANK YOU in advance! |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1487
Location: Michigan | al i am doing this 100% on my own . i am only trying to find out what the safest way to get a guitar sent to a soldier and not get scammed doing it . i am after nothing but guidance on how to do it properly . this post is for information only on how to do it .thanks michael , your info is exactly what i am looking for not anything else.last week while in the atlanta airport i was talking to a soldier who was going back to afganistan.he got seated one row up from me and just before take off the flight attendant came back and moved him and another soldier into first class.we applauded them and wished them a safe return back to the states.my wife and i discussed that instead of trying to buy a gift for each other that usually gets returned that we would do something for our vets and i remembered that i read about something like that someone did on our board last year so that is it . i am not trying to solicit anything here but info.michael look for a p.m.thanks GWB |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 86
Location: northern virginia | What an awesome, giving idea..i emailed guitars4troops to see how they work it. I have at least an old (but good) Simon and Patrick 12 string that would probably be a good candidate... |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Nice thing to do... |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I have no issue with sending guitars I have issues only with people soliciting the membership.
unfortunately we had a problem at one point. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | nice gesture gwb, especially since you are doing it on your own with your own guitar.
Hopefully it will go to a deserving person. |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 86
Location: northern virginia | In case anyone is interested, I've been in email contact with Robin at guitars4troops. She is going to send me an APO address and contact for a soldier in the theatre that is requesting a guitar, and we are then going to send the guitar out direct to the APO address. It turns out sending overseas direct to the APO address is actually about the same or cheaper than the cost of regular postage to send it to the charity organization a few states over, for them to in turn forward to the APO, and this way, we get the satisfaction of knowing it's directly on its way.
Yes, thank you GWB for sharing your beautiful idea....isnt’it wonderful how good can be contagious, too |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 86
Location: northern virginia | GWB, we were pleasantly SHOCKED at the cost of APO shipping...the cost to ship a full sized dreadnought and hard case from Northern Virginia to Afghanistan was $21 and change.... :) |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by roundsound:
GWB, we were pleasantly SHOCKED at the cost of APO shipping...the cost to ship a full sized dreadnought and hard case from Northern Virginia to Afghanistan was $21 and change.... :) I sold a Camouflage 15w Bass amp to a soldier in Afghanistan...
He said that he would pay Whatever it took!
$8! :eek: :p
But it did take a month to get to him. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1487
Location: Michigan | thanks for the help roundsound , another guitar should be on the way overseas by the end of the week to hopefully ease a few moments for our troops that are keeping us living our normal lives that we take for granted every day.
God Bless them all.
this feels like one of the best christmas presents that we have ever given to someone.GWB |
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April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | You've done a wonderful thing here, GWB! Merry Christmas to you and yours! And many, many more. |
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September 2009
Posts: 180
Location: michigan | nice GWB
I gave a guitar to a marine friend of mine. He indicated going through a Chaplain in the service is a good way to go.
Next time we get together, the 1st round is on me.
happy holidays |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1487
Location: Michigan | the guitar is on it's way as of today .after i started this adventure i started having second thoughts about what this might end up $$costing$$ us in the end . i thought that i may have gotten in a bit over my head doing this but with the direction of a few of you it turned out to be effortless and very economical way to send a guitar overseas .a special thank you to richard & michael for the help. my total shipping costs were only $25.95. we dropped a letter in with it asking for a picture or a story and if i hear back from someone i will post it .
happy holidays to all our service people all around the world.GWB |
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Joined:
September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | Sorry I couldn't come through faster.
Been waiting on replies to e-mails.
I'm glad you worked something out.
What you're doing is a real boost for the servicemember's morale again this comes from someone who was blessed by some folk's generous, kind souls.
Thank you! |
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i want to send a guitar to a soldier overseas ?help ?