Magazines for Troops hopes to provide for additional 6,000 servicemembers
Linda Sappington
Marine veteran Tomy Parker, left, presents a $300 donation to Magazines for Troops, represented by volunteers Esther and Gene Gunlock. The contribution was provided by Battle for Veterans, a California-based group for which Parker provided public relations services.
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RONAN — An email last week from aboard the USS Harry S. Truman made Esther Gunlock excited, and a bit worried. More than 6,000 service people aboard ship requested reading material from Magazines for Troops, for which Gunlock volunteers.
“Oh my gosh, what are we going to do? We don’t have enough magazines,” Gunlock said.
Right now, magazine, paperback book and DVD donations are at an all-time low, Gunlock said. Donation boxes set up throughout Lake County aren’t filling fast enough, and she needs the community’s help to meet the needs of those on the aircraft carrier known as “Lone Warrior,” and whose motto is aptly, “The Buck Stops Here.”
While Magazines for Troops also accepts paperback books and DVDs, their main source of supplies is magazines. Females in the military request magazines about physical fitness, yoga and nutrition; while males enjoy magazines about hunting, fishing, guns, golf, running, and any outdoor activity, according to Gunlock.
Currently, Magazines for Troops serves 200 units, “thousands of people,” Gunlock said. In addition to the email from the Truman, Gunlock said she got 30 more email requests that very morning.
“We’re just a small-town Montana, home-based organization with all volunteers. We need help,” Gunlock said.
The group got some help this week in the form of a $300 donation to offset shipping costs. The contribution came through a California-based group, Battle for Veterans. Ronan USMC veteran Tomy Parker exchanged his public relations services for the donation, he explained.
Each box shipped contains about 40 magazines, and costs $12.35. Larger shipping boxes hold up to 60 magazines and cost $14.85 to ship; so the more magazines, the more cost effective the shipping.
Parker says he often buys several magazines as they hit the shelf, reads through them, and then passes them on to Gunlock to share with his fellow servicemen.
Gunlock and her husband, Gene, collect the magazine donations, remove mailing labels, and package and send to the troops. She often sticks in a little extra something for the recipients, like hard candy or cards thanking them for their service.
Ronan High School National Honor Society crafted hand-made cards, and has helped collect magazines and remove the mailing labels. Polson’s Key Club has held magazine drives. Both school clubs have held various fundraisers for Magazines for Troops.
Those magazines are now in the hands of America’s military men and women. Magazines for Troops needs the community to gather their stacks of leftover magazines and send them Gunlock’s way, so she can ship them out, too, and meet the reading needs thousands of deployed men and women in all branches of service, including the 6,000 aboard the Truman.
“Our intention is to remind these brave warriors that they are not forgotten, and to put a smile on their faces,” according to the Magazines for Troops website.
Monetary donations may be made via PayPal on their website, www.MagazinesForTroops.org, or mailed to P.O. Box 909, Lakeside, MT 59911
Magazine collection boxes are located in Valley Bank, Harvest Foods, Mission Mart, Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes and the VFW in Ronan; Insty Prints, Super 1 Foods, VFW, Walmart and Safeway (customer service desk) in Polson; Donation coin jars can be found in various locations throughout the valley.
For more information about Magazines for Troops, visit their website or call Gunlock at (406) 883-1517.
