November 23, 2016 With the assistance from SOAR Chapter members in Granite City, Illinois, Shirley Luffman has completed another leg of her ongoing mission. For 17 years now she has coordinated the shipment of bountiful boxes to troops serving overseas, with this year’s shipment directed to those currently deployed in Afghanistan. This latest batch was assembled and labeled for delivery before Thanksgiving, with more to be sent following the next SOAR meeting. SOAR Chapter 7-34-2 agreed to again pay the postage to send the items that were generously donated from members.
An often repeated quote from Patricia Schroeder, the first woman elected to Congress from Colorado, and the first woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee said, “Everyone is always talking about our U.S. Defense effort in terms of protecting women and children, but no one ever asks the women and children what they think.”
Shirley suggested a supportive opinion to Congressman Schroeder’s comment as she labeled the last box at the post office counter. “My wish for the holidays is that we don’t have to send a single box next year. I was hoping this would eventually end at some point after beginning this project while my son served during the Kosovo Conflict in 1999. You would think after all these years we wouldn’t still be in a war situation, but it keeps going on and on.” And she keeps going on, fulfilling her personal commitment to pack those boxes with small but much appreciated goodies.
Shirley now finds herself in the unique position of being able to fulfill requests for some service members. Men and women serving in different parts of the world, when asked, send requested little luxuries that we take for granted, but the troops hanker for, and do not have access to while serving our nation. 399 and counting since 1999, this year’s boxes are filled with power bars, peanut butter crackers, Slim Jims and those K-Cups that offer a little extra octane boost for those long days and late nights our troops at two medical units and an infantry unit – this year’s recipients - in Afghanistan must endure. Shirley smiles as she recalls the differences in what male and female soldiers ask for. Men want smoked oysters, sardines and pop-tarts. Women want chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!
Shirley recalled her son telling her, “Mom, there are soldiers here that never get a piece of mail.” She determined this just wasn’t right and decided to take matters into her own hands and provide them with something special for the holidays. Her son, Jeffrey Luffman, currently runs a military hospital in Honolulu. He would surely echo his mother’s sentiment, hoping his military brethren could enjoy the scenery in Hawaii next year; wishing his mother could cease labeling boxes. If her wish does not come true, SOAR will be there to help with this effort.