Operation Baking GALS: For My Brother

Once upon a time, before I had my precious little Nora, I liked to bake. A LOT. Somehow, I got hooked up with this organization called Operation Baking GALS, who organize teams of people to send care packages--many with home-baked goodies!--to soldiers who are deployed overseas. If you've been around here for a while, you probably remember all of the posts that were dedicated to this cause.

Well, first I got pregnant and took a break from Operation Baking GALS due to lack of energy, and didn't manage to get back on the wagon before Nora was born. And once she was born, well... hell. I don't have much time to cook/bake anything anymore, unfortunately.

BUT my brother is officially in Afghanistan now, and instead of just baking and packing up a care package for him myself (which I WILL be doing, believe me), I figured I would go ahead and put together a Baking GALS team for him.

As you may know, Trevor was deployed with the Army Reserves at the end of January. He spent the first couple of months of his deployment within the U.S., undergoing more advanced training and preparation. Now, he has officially made his way over to Afghanistan, where he is currently adjusting to his new life.
At home, Trevor has a wife--Kara--whom he married just last May 21. They have a nearly three-year-old son, Hunter. Before his deployment, he was working at a local hospital in the emergency room as an ER technician, and going to school to finish his pre-requisites for a physician assistant program.

Trevor is a great brother, son, husband, and father. In addition to his wife and son, he has a twin (my other brother!) and parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, etc. who all miss him very much.
Although he doesn't know that I've formed a Baking GALS team in his honor, I did ask Trevor--via FaceTime, seriously in awe of today's technology--last week what he wanted/needed from home, and his only complaint (so far) was the lack of M&Ms. :) He said that the largest package he could get over there was really tiny, and that it cost $1.75. The guy loves his M&Ms (peanut, peanut butter, pretzel)--I'm convinced our family's taste for them is genetic--just like our love for chips and dip. With that said, I know that he would graciously accept and enjoy anything he receives, and share it with his friends. He actually has four roomies whom he shares his barracks with, so I'm sure it all wouldn't last long! :)

I've always appreciated when people sign up to be part of my Baking GALS teams, because every man and woman serving our country deserves to be surprised with packages from home--even those from strangers. But obviously, this particular recipient means a lot to me, so THANK YOU in advance for doing this for my brother. Please include a note or a postcard in your package to him--he would love to know a little bit about the people who are doing this for him.

If you don't bake, there are plenty of store-bought items (like M&Ms!) that you can send if you would still like to participate. For a list of suggestions, see these helpful tips, which also include tips on how to package your baked goods and properly fill out the customs form.

If you'd like to join us:
1) Go to http://www.bakinggals.com/ and Log In or Create a New Account
2) Go to Join a Round 41 Team
3) Join Team Heather Drive
4) Wait for an email with the shipping address (I will send it out on April 30)

Now, here's a catch: The Baking GALS website only allows 20 people per team. I don't know how many participants we'll get, but if the team does fill up and you still want to be a part of it--please e-mail me at heatherdriveblog@yahoo.com and we will figure something out! :)

If you have any questions, check out the Operation Baking GALS FAQ page.

Here's the thing: Shipping is freaking EXPENSIVE now. So to get the most bang for your buck, I always suggest opting for a special flat rate box from the post office. The boxes are FREE and you can ship the box with anything in it (as much as you can fit, no matter how heavy!) for a reduced flat rate of $13.45, which is $2 less than the typical fee. If you can't find the boxes designated for APO/FPO addresses (they say "America Supports You!" on them), you can use the regular large flat rate box. Either one works, just make sure those USPS thieves employees--I know it's not their fault!--give you the discounted APO/FPO rate.

Also, check out this Newbies How-To Guide for full instructions on everything.

I think that covers everything, but please e-mail me at heatherdriveblog@yahoo.com if you have any questions, or simply leave them in the comments of this post. Participating? Tell me! And THANK YOU!