Putting my time and money where my mouth is

Over the past week, I've published four diaries on the impact the upcoming increase in postal rates may have on our troops, most recently this one:

http://www.dailykos.com/...

I've asked all of you to take some action to support the troops before the new rates take effect. Seems only fair I should explain what I'm doing with regard to the actions I'm recommending:

1. Send a package to soldier. I have "adopted" a number of soldiers via AnySoldier.com. This week, I'm going to send "my" soldiers a package in a USPS Priority Flat Rate box.

2. Get the word out.  I've sent out emails about The Late Great Flat Rate Support Your Soldiers Date to over 400 of my closest friends. (A good 300 of whom I can even remember who they are, LOL.)

3. Organize a group effort.  OK, I'm a free spirit. I tend to work alone, so this is the best I could do...

I went to my local discount store and got permission to set up a table outside their door Friday after 5 PM and again on Saturday morning. I have drawn up a "shopping list" of items for sale in the store that soldiers would be happy to receive, focusing on heavier things for which the Flat Rate is a bargain.

I picked up a stack of Flat Rate boxes, mailing labels, and customs forms from my post office. On Friday, I'm going to give shoppers who want to participate in the Late Great Flat Rate Date a box, mailing label, customs form, shopping list, and the name and address of a soldier they can send the box to. I have notecards available in case they want to write a note to their soldier. I have packaging tape so they can seal up the box once it's filled.

If they want to take their package to the post office and mail it on Saturday morning, then off they go. If they say they can't make it to the post office on Saturday, they can give me their package and a check made out to the USPS for $8.10, the current flat rate. Then I will mail their package for them.

I am very interested to see how many shoppers will want to send a package to a soldier.