"Pride
Packages"
C/O Pat Garlick
903 West North First St.
Shelbyville, IL 62565
For monetary donations,
checks can be made payable to:
"Pride Packages"
C/O Pat Garlick
Community Banks of Shelby County Shelbyville Facility
Route 16 Shelbyville, IL 62565
Pride Packages is NOT an 501(c)
3 organization and your donation is not approved for a tax deduction,
but a "GIFT FROM THE HEART" 100% of monetary donations go toward
the cost of postage required to send the packages through the
U.S. Postal Service, and the cost of supplies to be shipped. "Pride
Packages" is funded entirely by private donations and staffed
exclusively by volunteers.
|
|
Your Visitor
|
|
|
E-mail
Us @ patspridepackages@yahoo.com
|
What
is Pride Packages?
Touched by Pat's Marine son's plea for
his fellow comrades that were not receiving packages in Iraq,
Pat Garlick decided that the least she could do to help our service
people would be to support our U.S. troops abroad and provide
what would become know as "Pride Packages."
Inside each package will include a personal note as well as daily
devotions and an e-mail address where the service people can contact
her with any special needs that they may have while they are deployed.
Pat writes to her Marine
son everyday and she knows how important mail and packages are
to him. Her son says that you never get enough mail and packages
from home.
Pat has written numerous
letters to Marines that were not getting mail and sent packages
to Marines that were not getting packages. It breaks my heart
when I hear that our sons and daughters are fighting in a war
thousands of miles away and they aren't receiving letters of support
or packages from back home. As long as the war continues, I will
send "Pride Packages" till all our service people are back home
from being deployed abroad.
Even though a package may
be addressed to one soldier, the items may be shared and end up
helping a handful of soldiers.
|
|
News & Updates
|
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Proud To Serve Those Who Serve Us
by Frank Mulholland / Managing Editor
Perhaps you missed the recent article about Pat and Eric Garlick and their Pride Packages Project that appeared in the Shelbyville Daily Union (See Monday, March 5)
For those who may not be familiar with this project, the Garlicks work tirelessly sending packages to military personnel who do not normally receive such gifts. The packages contain items that many of us may take for granted, but can be very special if you are in a combat zone. Simple little items such as new socks, microwave popcorn, or Girl Scout Cookies can not only feel or taste good, they can flood your mind with warm memories of home.
Pat started this project back in April 2005. Thus far the Garlicks have sent 380 of these packages. The cost of postage alone is $8.10 for each package. Pat estimates it costs about $20-$25 for the items inside the package. Simple math will tell you that so far this project has cost of over $10,000.
You might ask how do the Garlicks do this? Well, the Garlicks hold garage sales in their own garage to raise funds. Pat Garlick speaks at any organization that invites her to bring awareness and possible donations. The entire family helps with the packing, addressing, and garage sales.
The idea behind this project came when their son Evan Garlick, a Marine was stationed in Iraq. Evan wrote his mother talking about how much packages from home can mean in a unfamiliar, frightening situation like Iraq. Just in passing Evan also wrote about all the young military personnel stationed in Iraq who don't receive mail or packages from home.
That idea that Americans were serving their country in a strange hostile environment and did not receive packages from home, touched Pat's heart. Her slogan for the project is "Proud To Serve Those Who Serve Us."
In every package, Pat takes the time to include a personal note and what she calls daily devotions. She also includes her e-mail address and hears back from many of the soldiers and Marines. Pat has stated she will continue to send these packages until all of our service personnel are home for good.
Back here in Shelbyville we are constantly bombarded with news from the war front. Most of the news we hear is bad and consequently many people oppose the war. I personally have some strong misgivings about the situation. However, the facts are those are our sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, people we love and worry about. I am not pushing the idea that if you don't support the war, then you don't support the troops. That is propaganda from the Bush administration. However, I am suggesting that we support anything we can do here at home that makes our troops in a combat zone more comfortable.
The Garlick's project is something the entire community, for that matter, the entire county should be supporting. Whether you are a business like County Market who has generously donated to this project or an individual who has time or money they can devote to this project, we all need to stand up and be counted.
The Pride Packages project is a winner on so many levels. The packages will brighten up some lonely soldier's day, the people working on the project will have a sense of charity, and by giving, our community will be a better place to live because of that generosity.
Garlicks Appear on Oprah Show
JOHN CARSWELL - Daily Union Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Lance Corporal Evan Garlick, sister Rachel and his parents, Eric and Pat Garlick of Shelbyville, were part of a group reunion that took place on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Returning Marines of Company A, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion have been stationed in Iraq for the past seven months and were on their way home to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Garlick, a Purple Heart recipient, was one of the 33 soldiers who were on the show. Over 100 friends and family were gathered back stage waiting for the cue to greet their soldier.
Representatives of the Oprah show arranged to have the long-awaited reunion take place on the show instead, and soldiers and parents were re-routed to Chicago where the Oprah show picked up the tab for airfare, hotel, food and other expenses.
Although not part of the center stage, the Garlicks were happily together again on the back row. During the broadcast, the Garlick family were visible several times and Evan was glad to see some of his comrades who had been sent home earlier due to injuries.
“That was a good experience,” said Garlick. “None of us were expecting to see them on the show. It was a complete surprise. Two of the guys were in my actual platoon.”
The emotional reunion between family, children, girlfriends and fellow soldiers highlighted the joyful return to American soil.
Evan Garlic said of the Oprah show, “It was a good experience. It was sort of what I thought it would be. We flew into Chicago the day before it was taped and we had a rehearsal and a day off to go walk around and see everything. I got to meet her (Oprah) and they took pictures of all the Marines and their families posing with her.”
Pat Garlick felt the same way, “It was an awesome experience. I will cherish it. It was so awesome seeing our son and all the Marines that served with him all these months in Iraq. It was one of the greatest experiences that I have ever had and now we and that's the best thing in the world.”
Although the Oprah show was an experience to be remembered, Pat Garlick said their trip was not without difficulty. “We had a delay coming back from the Oprah show because of bad weather in Philadelphia. We waited 11 hours in the airport in Chicago before it took off for Philadelphia and then on to N.C. We didn't arrive back at N.C. untill yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.”
But it seems they may not have to make the trip again, at least from a military standpoint.
Evan said his tours of duty in Iraq were over. “My contract said I would go for two tours. I have only nine months left with the Marines so that is it for me.”
Due to the travel complications, Evan said his parents will be staying at Camp Lejeune through the Easter weekend and returning to Shelbyville sometime next week. However, Evan has to stick around for a while.
“I have to wait until April 20 before I can take vacation. We have to go through a little readjustment period before we can leave,” he said.
Evan said the request from the Oprah show came while they were still overseas. “We were in Kuwait when the show called asking for 50 men to be on the show. All of us who went on the show were volunteers. We wanted to do it.”
Easter Pride Packages Deadline
JOHN CARSWELL - Daily Union Staff Writer
Pat Garlick and her husband Eric are known locally for their tireless efforts in sending Pride Packages to soldiers in Iraq.
The packages contain items from home that may seem common, but are very special to the men and women in uniform overseas.
The Garlicks began their humanitarian effort when the war hit close to home. Their son, Lance Corporal Evan Garlick is now on his second tour of duty in the dangerous Anbar Province and was the inspiration for the packages.
At present, the Garlicks are collecting and assembling a special edition of Easter Pride packages, with the deadline looming.
“Things sort of trickled in,” said Pat Garlick. “Easter is not considered as big a holiday as Christmas,” said Eric.
The phone rang and Pat talked as Eric boxed items. “We just got a call from the Tower Hill Girl Scouts,” said Pat excitedly. “They are sending over 30 boxes of Girl Scout cookies!”
Items needed for the Easter packages include Easter-related candy, cookies, poptarts, granola bars, Easymac macaroni and cheese, sample packs of shampoos, toothpaste, toothbrushes and other assorted toiletry items.
“Evan is a Marine and they can wear white socks but we don’t have any black crew socks for the Army boys. We sure could use some of those to send,” added Pat.
The deadline to donate items is Thursday night, March 8. Pat said, “We will be boxing up everything we have and sending it then so it can arrive by Easter.”
For more information call the Garlicks at 217-774-1324. Items can be dropped off at 903 W.N. First St. in Shelbyville.
Garlicks To Appear On Oprah Show
JOHN CARSWELL - Daily Union Staff Writer
After two years of sending Pride Packages to soldiers stationed in Iraq, Eric and Pat Garlick are close to receiving a package of pride themselves. Their son, Marine Lance Corporal Evan Garlick, arrived in North Carolina on Monday after being stationed in Iraq.
However, the long-awaited reunion will be slightly delayed while the Garlicks make an unexpected side trip to Chicago to meet Oprah Winfrey. “The Oprah show got in touch with us on Sunday and verified all our information. The parents leave tomorrow and the boys leave tonight,” said Eric.
The group reunion between 33 Marines and their parents will take place live on the Oprah Show, Wednesday, April 4, 4:00 p.m. on Channel 3, WCIA Champaign, IL.
Eric and Pat Garlick called the Daily Union with the news from their cell phone in Jacksonville, NC. “This is so exciting!” said Pat. “We didn’t know about any of this until we were already on our way to Camp Lejeune. Evan called us from Kuwait and said, ‘Mom, how do you feel about seeing me in Chicago?’”
Evan and his unit, Company A, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, have been stationed in the treacherous Anbar province, an area that Pat called “A place of major insurgency...a very, very dangerous place.”
For the Garlicks, Evan’s return is very good news mixed with just a little disappointment. The Garlicks had just finished the trek from Shelbyville to North Carolina, “14 hours and 989 miles,” said Eric.
“We were looking forward to meeting him here at Camp Lejeune, but we will not get to see him until Chicago. We will go ahead and attend the reunion here with the 200 other soldiers who are not going to the show. I am not sure how the selection process was done, but I know that the parents had to be willing to go to Chicago to participate,” said Pat.
The Garlicks will park their car at the base and a bus will transport them and the other 64 parents to the Raleigh-Durham airport. From there, they will fly to Chicago and Oprah picks up the tab. “All expenses are paid by the show,” said Pat. “The airfare, meals, lodging and other expenses are all taken care of.”
When Evan was first deployed to Iraq, he wrote back to his parents telling how so many of the soldiers didn’t receive any packages from home. Eric and Pat Garlick quickly responded by sponsoring rummage sales to raise funds.
The on-going Pride Package efforts not only captured the attention of Shelby County residents but also Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-19) who stopped in Shelbyville to pay a visit to the Garlicks. Shimkus expressed both gratitude and support for the Garlicks’ undertakings. “We really appreciate your effort, and just wanted to stop by and encourage you,” said Shimkus.
The Garlicks began Pride Packages in 2005, not long after Evan’s first deployment to Iraq. Since then, they have sent over 370 boxes from home containing toiletries, socks, toothpaste, snacks, cookies and letters of encouragement.
Although Evan is home on leave, he still has another 10 months left in the Marines. “He just completed his second tour and we are hoping he doesn’t have to go back again,” said Pat.
Evan and Joseph Doerr garnered national exposure when recently featured in an Associated Press photograph, taking their wounded commanding officer to safety after an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) went off. Garlick himself was also wounded in the back of his leg and was later awarded the Purple Heart for bravery in the line of fire.
After the Oprah show, the Garlicks will fly back to Camp Lejeune and drive back to Shelbyville where they can finally be reunited in the comfort of their own home.
Will Pat Garlick continue to send the Pride Packages after her son is back home? She responded, “As long as the war continues, I will send Pride Packages. I am committed to this program until all our service people are back home.”
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Moulton Fourth Grade Collects Supplies For Pride Package Program
Full Story
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Garlick Returns To Iraq "Hot Zone"
JOHN CARSWELL - Daily Union Staff Writer
SHS graduate, and Marine LCpl (Lance Corporal), Evan Garlick is five days away from redeployment to Iraq. After spending some time back in Shelbyville with his parents, Eric and Pat Garlick, he returned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to await his departure.
Evan will be back on one of the toughest jobs in the Middle East, manning a light armored vehicle and scouring the borders for insurgents who oppose the formation of a democratic Iraqi government.
On Labor Day, Evan had a chance to speak openly about the war in Iraq and what he feels are misconceptions presented by the media at large.
In a telephone conversation with Evan at Camp Lejeune, he told The Daily Union, I'm a little nervous, and you know. I'm ready to get there and get it over with. I have a little less than a year and a half left of my four-year enlistment. We patrol the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq .
Click On Link For Full Article
Pride Packages Wrap Up Season
JOHN CARSWELL - Daily Union Staff Writer
This weekend, Pat Garlick and her husband Eric, wrapped up their Freedom Yard Sale for the summer, with a three-day Labor Day rummage sale. Pat Garlick has been operating the garage sale for two years using all money collected to send "Pride Packages" to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq and to sailors deployed on various ships. She said her inspiration for the project came when her son, 2004 Shelbyville High School graduate, Evan Garlick enlisted and went to Iraq. Evan is now a LCpl (Lance Corporal) and is up for promotion to Corporal soon.
Click On Link For Full Article
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Congressman Shimkus Visits Pride Packages Project
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
BY FRANK MULHOLLAND
Shelbyville resident Pat Garlick has managed to really brighten up the day for many military personnel serving in the war zones of Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and ships at sea in that area. Her "Pride Packages" program sends little reminders of home in the form of goodies, reading materials and words of comfort to service people who do not receive many packages from home. Garlick's slogan for Pride Packages is "Proud to Serve Those who Are Serving Us".
On Tuesday, January 17th, U. S. Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-19) stopped in Shelbyville to pay a visit to Garlick. Shimkus expressed both gratitude and support for Garlick's undertakings.
"We really appreciate your effort, and just wanted to stop by and encourage you," said Shimkus.
Shimkus went on to say that as a West Point graduate, he has a lot of his classmates over in Iraq.
Garlick explained to Shimkus that she was inspired after her own son, Evan, a Marine who served in Iraq, wrote back and told her about fellow Marines who hardly ever received any mail or packages from home. In fact, when Evan came home on leave at Christmas, (he has finished his term of duty in Iraq) he helped fill the packages and get them ready to ship. (Read More)
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Soldier's mom in Shelbyville takes pride in military package project
When Pat Garlick heard that many of the young people serving in Iraq receive no mail from home, she decided to take action.
Since June, she has sent 60 boxes filled with DVDs, snacks, books, games and socks to troops overseas.
"I really got the idea when I talked to my son one day," Garlick said during an interview in her home.
The house has many signs a Marine lives here, including a Marine Corps welcome mat, a U.S. flag that flies on a pole 24 hours a day and a pine tree with about 170 yellow ribbons on it. ...
Full Article
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Pride Packages Garage Sale Fund Raiser - Shelbyville, Illinois
Click Link For Full Article
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Pride Packages Daily Union News Paper Article
Click Link For Full Article
|
|
Congressman
Shimkus Visits Pride Packages
|
|
|
|
Operation
Ho Ho Ho Packing Photos
|
|
|
|
Pride Packages Garage
Sale Fund Raiser
|
|
|
|
Food Items
Granola bars
Oreos
Gum
Pop tarts
Nutri grain bars
Pringles
Starburst
Skittles
Powered gator aid
Presweetened kool aid
Breakfast bars
Chex mix
Nacho cheese dip in cans
Rice krispies treats
Small containers of Dinty Moore beef stew
Ravioli
Easy mac & cheese
Ramen noodles
Beef jerky
Pudding
Applesauce
Peaches
Pretzels
Fruit by the foot
Sunflower seeds
Summer sausage
Cheese
Crackers
Squeeze peanut butter
Squeeze jelly
Ketchup/mustard/relish packets
Hot sauce packets
Slim Jims
Non-Food Items
Batteries AA
Writing Tablets
Ink Pens
White Socks
Word Find Books
Crossword Puzzle Books DVD's (You can get $1 DVD's at Wal-Mart)
Hand Held Games Paperback Books Magazines (hunting, sports,
etc.)
Aqua Drops
Eyedrops
Wipes Without Alcohol
Foot Powder
Total Sent
1,037
|
|
|
|
