Mama Cindy Soldier Program
Cynthia L. Strasburg
5002 Old Bald Hill Road
Hemlock, New York 14466
(585)367-3780
Italianess47@wmconnect.com

I wanted to share with you the wonderful program I created called the Mama Cindy Soldier Program.
I began a program of sending "Care Packages" to our military men and women stationed overseas on
February 14,2005. What a perfect date! The first packages were shipped out on February 18, 2005.
It all started with one soldier in one unit and now almost five years later, this program has sent
"Care Packages" to over 4,000 soldiers in more than 250 seperate units stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan
Korea, Japan, Africa and Cuba.

In Each Package I send to a new soldier, I enclose a letter of how I was given their APO address and
that they are now adopted by Mama Cindy. I make sure to enclose information on how they can contact me
by internet or by regular mail by enclosing a pre addressed note card just incase they don't have access
to the internet. I encourage them to hand out my Mama Cindy Cards to their fellow soldiers if they would
like to be adopted by Mama Cindy. I enclose a note on who sponsored their "Care Package" with a pre
addressed note card with a pen so that they can thank their Sponsors directly.

Then, I tell them to "Make A Wish!" Each Unit has different needs and desires depending on where they are
located. It has to be smaller than a breadbox! For example, one unit asked for sardines in oil. The
sardines are high in protien and the oil was good for digestion. I was happy to grant this wish. I
also taped a package of baby wipes to each can of sardines with a note that read: Mama is taking care
of both ends! It is so important to send a bit of humor in each package.

It is now January 2010 with more soldiers being shipped overseas. I try to reach the soldiers that aren't
getting much mail and try to send them a bit of home. I call it a "Hug In A Box!" If I put it in a package
something to help a soldiers physical, mental, emotion and spiritual needs, maybe,just maybe, that soldier
will be able to complete their mission safely and return once more to their loved ones at home. So many
times they write: "It is always nice to know that someone other than family cares and thinks about us!"

The Mama Cindy Soldier Fund is always in constant need of monetary funding for shipping the packages to
the Troops. I use flat rate boxes so that shipping one package to a soldier is $12.50 no mattter how much
it weighs or where it is shipped around the world. If you would like to make a monetary donation, you can
make your checks out to Mama Cindy Soldier Program and send to Mama Cindy, 5002 Old Bald Hill Road, Hemlock
New York 14466. If you would like to donate supplies, contact Mama Cindy at (585)367-3780 for a time for
either a pick up or delivery. Your donation will be used to ship a little bit of home and comfort to those
so far from their Loved Ones.

January 2010: Donations from the After 50 News Readers: $455.50
A total of 17 packages were shipped.

February 2010: Donations: After 50 News Readers-$273.00,
Honeoye/Hemlock American Legion Post 1278-$200.00,
Dansville Home Video Customers-$24.19,
Lakeville McDonald's Customers-$22.99,
A total of 36 packages were shipped. 100 Valentine's Goodie Bags were
shipped to Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included in
each goodie bag was a Funny Valentine Card.

March 2010: Donations: After 50 News Readers-$487.35, Lakeville Mc Donald's
Customers-$35.55, Cook's Landscaping- $30.00,
Dansville Home Video Customers-$13.40
A total of 49 packages were shipped. Easter packages
were sent to our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mama Cindy filled 150 plastic eggs with assorted
jellybeans. Included in their Easter Boxes were
jellybeans, skittles, smarties and a chocolate
cereal trail mix to give them their chocolate
fix. Mama Cindy also baked brownies and chocolate
chip cookies shipped with Starbucks Coffee to Troops in Iraq.

April 2010: Donations: After 50 News Readers-$386.00
Lakeville McDonald's Customers-$21.97
Dansville Home Video Customers-$10.35

Mama Cindy baked chocolate chip cookies
and brownies and shipped them to Units in
Iraq along with Starbucks Coffee and current
magazines to give our Soldiers a much
needed "Coffee Break".

May 2010: Donations: After 50 News Readers-$509.00
Honeoye/Hemlock American Legion-$200.00

Mama Cindy attended the After 50 News Expo
on May 12 & 13th. Their readers came out for
the two days and donated supplies, monetary
donations and purchased After 50 Support
The Troops Tee-Shirts in their "Continued
Support Of Our Troops. 'You Guys Rock!"

June 2010: Donations: United Methodist Church Of Dansville-$300.00
St. Leo The Great R.C. Church-$200.00
Honeoye/Hemlock American Legion Post 1278-$200.00
After 50 News Readers-$246.50
Di Marco Constructors/Baldwin Real Estate-$132.00

The United Methodist Church Of Dansville Members had a
Fund Drive for the Troops and Donated a Check for
$300.00 and a car load of supplies. Four Ladies delivered
the supplies and helped to pre package the items to be
shipped overseas. Thank You For The Helping Hands!

July 2010: Donations: After 50 News Readers-$269.50
A total of 49 Diddy Boxes filled with Healthy
Snacks were shipped to the Navel Personnel
aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. Another
shipment of 55 Diddy Boxes were shipped to
Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

August 2010: Donations-After 50 News Readers-$120.00
Mama Cindy's Customers-$25.00

Mama Cindy has adopted the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Helmand
Province, Afghanistan through U.S. Army Chaplain Major Kim. Personal Care Packages and
Other Supplies were shipped to this Unit of over 250 Staff to help give
comfort to Staff, Wounded Soldiers and Wounded Children (ages 3-10). They opened
this hospital 3 months ago and "Truly Need Our Support". The First shipment
of packages were shipped out on August 31, 2010. Two days after Mama Cindy
received a request for assistance from Chaplain Kim, "Care Packages" were on
their way!

September 2010 Donations: Mama Cindy-$399.83
Honeoye/Hemlock American Legion
Post 1278-$200.00
Cindy's Customers-$55.00
Mt. Morris Lodge 122-$50.00
Livonia Rotary Club-$50.00
After 50 News Readers-$30.00
Dansville Home Video-$27.70

Donations for September were used to purchase supplies and ship packages to
the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Helmand Province, Afghanistan for the
Staff, Wounded Soldiers and Wounded Children. Supplies were also sent to this
unit for the programs: "Take A Soldier to The Movies", "Diddy Boxes",
"Pancakes for Soldiers~Food For The Soul" and "Love Totes". For more details, you
can go to the section titled: "Hospital In Afghanistan".

October 2010 Donations:
After 50 News Readers-790.50
Harrison Lee Post#283-200.00
VFW Post#8726(Naples)-150.00
VFW Post#6245(Buffalo)-100.00
Diane Judson &Fellow Workers-215.00
MT.Morris Lodge 122-50.00
Livonia Rotary Club-50.00
Jeanne Richeson-50.00
The Fawcett Post#1582(Cananseraga)-25.00
Dansville Home Video-21.40

The After 50 News Readers donated a Truck load of supplies during
their October Expo. Mt.Morris McDonalds donated Happy Meal toys
for the children Overseas. Over 2,500 Halloween Treats were sent
to Troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

November 2010 Donations:
Honeoye/Hemlock American Legion Post 1278-500.00
After 50 News Readers-260.00
Lakeville Fire Department-250.00
Richmond Exempt Fireman's Belevolent Assoc.-200.00
Lima Lodge #45 Members-181.00
VFW Post 547, Mt. Morris-100.00
Richmond fire Department Members-73.00
Ladies Auxiliary Post 1477, Buffalo-50.00
The Hartman Family-50.00
American Legion Post 294-25.00
VFW Post 8961, Nunda-25.00


November was a busy month getting Christmas Trees and Christmas Decorations
to our Troops Overseas. Mama shipped 8-6' Lighted Christmas Trees with all
the decorations to Units in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wanted to get a jump
start to send much happiness to Soldiers that won't be home for Christmas. Over
1,000 Christmas Cards packaged 12 to a zip lock bag with 2 pens were
shipped to Troops so that they could send Christmas Cards home to their families
in time for the Holidays. In a "United Through Reading Program", 185
Children's Books along with the mailing envelopes and 100 zip lock bags filled with
3 gifts for a Soldier to send home to their child back home were sent to the
Hospital Unit in Afghanistan. Mama Sent 100 "Snow flake" tree decorations,
one in each bag, so that a Soldier could send Snow from Afghanistan with a
note saying: This Snow Will Never Melt, Hang It On Our Tree!

December 2010 Donations:
Kiwanis of Geneseo--1,000.00
Time Warner Cable Employees--376.00
After 50 News Readers--309.00
Cindy's Customers--35.00
Dansville Home Video--21.01

December was very busy with Wrapped Christmas Presents being sent to Troops
Deployed Overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. With Soldiers coming home and
Units replacing them, Christmas continued to be shipped thru the month of
December. For those Troops just arriving, they were able to enjoy the Christmas
Decorations as well as having gifts under the tree for the replacement
units. Mama Cindy was able to gift 1,858 Gifts to Soldiers Deployed Overseas in
Iraq and Afghanistan, Families of Need in Our Communites and 2 Soldiers
Families where the Mom's are Deployed in Afghanistan. Many "Wishes Were Granted"
this Christmas Season. Thank You to Everyone that "Continue To Support The
Mama Cindy Soldier Programs!"


January 2011 Donations: After 50 New Readers-151.00
Cindy's Customers-65.00
American Legion Post 1041-50.00
Mama Cindy kept up the pace of shipping out "Care Packages" to our Troops
in Iraq and Afghanistan with 53 Packages being shipped this first month of
2011. The 31st Combat Support Hospital Unit was replaced by the 115th Combat
Support Hospital Unit in January 2011. Mama Cindy will continue to Support
this Hospital in Afghanistan working with the New Chaplain Gilmore sending
packages for the Staff, Nurses, Doctors, Wounded Soldiers and Wounded Children.


February Donations: Richard Bondi~$125.00
After 50 News Readers~$122.50
Leona Nagle~$100.00
Dansville Home Video~$27.85
Cindy's Customer~$20.00

February marks the 6th year of the Mama Cindy Soldier Program. Nazareth
College Students created Valentine's Cards for the Troops. Mama Cindy baked
Brownies and Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies. In each zip lock bag was a Valentine
Card, a Large Brownie and a Large Heart Sugar Cookie. These were shipped to a
Unit in Afghanistan. What a "Sweet Month" February was in "All Ways!"

March Donations: After 50 News Readers-$297.00
Mama Cindy-$144.92
Cindy's Customers-$30.00
Dansville Home Video
Customers-$26.60

With New Units Replacing Troops Overseas, Mama Cindy continues to ship
"Care Packages" with personal care items and travel size snacks. Troops received
early Easter Chocolates and Jelly Beans in their March Packages.

April 2011 Donations: After 50 News Readers~$210.00
Mama Cindy~$112.97
Richard Bondi~$50.00

In April, we sent over 397 plastic eggs filled with jelly beans for the
Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Seven Children, Keegon, Maddy, Sarah, Sonny,
Tiffany, James and Gavin came over to lend helping Hands. Mama Cindy baked
Brownies and Friendship Bread to include in their "Easter Care Packages."

May 2011 Donations: After 50 News Readers~$712.05
Richard Bondi~$50.00
Dansville Home Video~$14.51

Mama Cindy attended the After 50 News Expo in May. Over the two day event,
their readers donated two truck loads of supplies and $613.00 in monetary
donations for shipping the care packages to Troops Overseas. The Made In
America Store has joined forces with Mama Cindy with a program called "Socks For
Soldiers." In the month of May, their customers donated 210 pairs of socks
valued at $1,009.00. Mama makes sure to put fresh socks in every care
package. We will keep our Soldiers Going!

June 2011 Donations: Dansville Methodist Church~$300.00
After 50 News Readers~$177.50

Dansville Methodist Church did a Fund Drive for Mama's Troops. They
collected a truck load of Supplies and Donated $300.00 to help cover the cost of
shipping. In the month of June "100 Care Packages" were shipped to Soldiers in
Iraq and Afghanistan. The Made In America Store Customers Donated "89"
pairs of Socks For Our Troops. Mama makes sure to put New Socks and Foot Care
Products in every Care Package.

July 2011 Donations: After 50 News Readers~$208.00
Kristine West~$50.00
Cindy's Customers~$20.00

A total of 27 "Care Packages" were shipped in July to the 82nd Unit
stationed in Iraq. This Unit will be stationed in Iraq for a year to do clean up
detail as we begin the process of leaving Iraq.

August 2011 Donations: After 50 News Readers~$365.95
Mr & Mrs Copenhaver~$100.00
Mama Cindy~$23.00

In the month of August, Mama Cindy was very busy shipping out "Diddy Boxes"
to reach out to New Soldiers Deployed Overseas. A total of 96 Diddy Boxes
were shipped this month. Making sure to take care of our Wounded Soldiers, I
shipped out 6 Wounded Soldier Love Totes to Soldiers at the Hospital in
Afghanistan. Never to Forget Our Veteran's, a donation of Lap Quilts, personal
care items and reading supplies were donated to the Canandaigua VA for our
Veteran's. A total of 122 "Care Packages" were shipped in the month of August.

September 2011 Donations:
After 50 News Readers~$768.50
Michael & Christy McCausland~$200.00
Security Officer~$100.00
Cindy's Customers~$45.00
Dansville Home Video~$8.15

October 2011 Donations: National Association of War Dads~$500.00
After 50 News Readers~$243.00
Cindy's Customers~$65.00
A total of 2,475 Halloween Chocolates were shipped to our Troops in
Afghanistan in Treat Bags with "No Tricks!" Halloween and Fall Decorations as well
as Treat Bags were sent to the Hospital in Afghanistan along with 176 pounds
of Boy Scout Popcorn donated by the Canandaigua Veteran's Hospital. The
United Methodist Church of Livonia donated 123 Children's Books that were
included in "Busy Totes" that were created by Mama Cindy and donated to the
Canandaigua Veteran's Hospital for the Children of Veterans that come for
treatment with their children.

November 2011 Donations
After 50 News Readers $991.30
NY/Penn American War Dads $300.00

After Thanksgiving, Mama Cindy began sending Christmas Card Care Packages"
to our Troops in Afghanistan. This would give our Soldiers plenty of time to
send Christmas Cards back home to their Loved Ones for the Holidays. A
total of 1,600 Christmas Cards were shipped in November. A total of 121 Care
Packages were shipped this month.

December 2011 Donations: Geneseo Kiwanis~$1,000.00
After 50 News Readers~$526.90
Richard Bondi~$100.00
Dansville Home Video~$25.20

Your most wonderful donations from the Heart, enabled Mama Cindy to ship
1,206 wrapped Christmas Presents to our Troops in Afghanistan in the month of
December. Each Soldier received 3 wrapped Christmas Gifts. Mama Cindy also
sent Christmas Gifts to 2 Soldier's Families. One family in Georgia received
wrapped Christmas gifts for 3 children, boy~7, twin boy/girl 5, and for Mom
who by the way will be having a new addition to their family in January.
Daddy is stationed in Afghanistan. The other family is stationed in North
Carolina, they have a 7 month old little boy. The exciting news I would like to
share is Daddy arrived home just days before Christmas. Even though Mama
Cindy sent wrapped Christmas Gifts for everyone, the Greatest Gift was Daddy
home to celebrate their First Family Christmas! God's Blessings Overflowing and
Never Ending has touched many this Christmas!

Thank You for Your Continued Support!
If you would like to know more about the Mama Cindy Soldier Program from 2005-2009, go the section entilted:
You Can Make A Difference for more details.

"HAND TO HAND~HEART TO HEART"
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE IS THE BEST GIFT ONE COULD GIVE!
A VERY THANKFUL MAMA CINDY IN THE USA!