Reading material for our troops

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Since it seems like everyone here enjoys reading books and magazines about fishing and the outdoors, I thought I’d share something with you all.

I have been working with a local mother of a National Guard soldier on his third deployment (second to Iraq) to collect and send magazines and other reading material to our soldiers overseas. I’m a fishing magazine editor myself and an all-around magazine junky, so I had stacks of magazines that I’d held onto for awhile because I could never get myself to throw them out. I gathered up about 150 outdoor magazines and, after one last goodbye, donated them to a local support group to ship to Iraq. Now it’s on to my woodworking magazine collection.

I’m looking for more books and magazines to send now as well, and I’d like to invite anyone here to donate his or her previously enjoyed works. If you are anywhere near western Kentucky, I can meet with you and get them. Those of you in other necks of the woods should look up your local support group, family readiness group or armory and ask about donating them. Or just look up how to ship to Iraq and send them yourself.

This soldier’s mother is a co-worker of mine, and she is part of a readiness group. They apparently have donors or someone willing to pay for shipping, although I’m sure they’d appreciate anyone willing to cover that cost as well. She said the guys often get bored and, because of lack of reading material, resort to reading women’s magazines and cooking magazines, since women send more magazines than men. When I heard that, I knew I had to get them some good outdoor reading.

On a side note, they don’t allow anything risque or with certain political rhetoric. You cannot send titles like Esquire or Maxim, and definitely nothing of the X-rated variety. Hobby, sports, outdoors, news, auto and other titles are best. They take this serious because if you send something that’s not allowed and they get caught with it they can apparently lose their mailing privileges.

Just thought I’d share the idea and opportunity. If you don’t have any magazines, maybe ask your local library if they’ll donate their back issues and offer to be the go-between to ship them or get them to a readiness group.

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