Please send your comments to FreedomSteps5k@gmail.com and we will post them as quickly as possible.
LCpl Anthony Shockey, US Marines
“Hey, we all just want to say how thankful we are for receiving your care package. Especially the letters that were in it, they really put smiles on our faces. Words can’t describe the gratitude we all have this was truly a very heart warming gift to have received. Thank you very much for thinking of us.” (2018)
Ryan in Iraq, US Air Force
THANK YOU! Just received a huge box from Freedom Steps today. I want to personally thank Ms. Gieringer and her summer camp for filling the box to the max! And Jack & Dor for recommending me and my unit for a box! We greatly appreciate all the love and support!! (2018)
Father of Deployed soldier
“I was talking to Maura today and she said she got a huge box from Freedom Steps… She shared the stuff widely with her teammates! Thanks again for thinking of her” (2018)
Joshua S. Camiller
“I just wanted to take a second to say thank you all for the love and support you give us through care packages. Most of the guys in my company are out on mission 8-10 hours a day, with little time for themselves. I put most of the candy and food out for them when they get back (saved some for myself of course). Needless to say it is mostly gone in a span of 4 days! I have already started hiding Easter eggs around our entire area. There is not much of a holiday spirit here as most of the days just blend together and we get no days off. Little reminders like that from home always make everyone’s day a little brighter! As we get some pictures throughout the deployment I will make sure to send them to Mike to forward to you! Thanks again for all of your support!” (2018)
Will DiMaio, US Air Force
“I just wanted to relay a big thank you from myself and all of us with the 7 EACCS for all of the goodies. My crew and I fly missions that last around 10-11 hours, so hearing after you land and are tired and sweaty that there are two huge packages waiting for you in the mail room definitely lifts your spirits. When I went to grab the packages I had to enlist the help from 2 other crew mates so that we could actually transport the boxes to the main squadron room. We opened up the boxes and immediately everyone came over and starting going through all of the items. My crew has more than 15 people on it and I’m pretty sure everyone got something they wanted. I left the boxes there in the middle of the squadron building for the next crews to have when they came through, since we fly on different days. 2 more crews and quite a few other people working in staff positions got the opportunity to go through the boxes on my crew’s day off. When my crew went back to the squadron the next day, the larger box only had about 4 or 5 items left in it and the other one was completely gone. I can’t say I’m surprised though, you also sent me a package on my last deployment and that one suffered a similar fate! Thanks again, you all are definitely friends of the squadron!” (2017)
Major Jared Auchey, US Army
“Thank you from Kabul. It’s amazing to think I first received a package from Freedom Steps over six years ago. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to thanking everyone when I return!” (2017)
LtCol. Eric Dougherty, US Marine Corps
“Thank you to you and your entire team for what you have done with Freedom Steps. A great idea for a good cause. Please pass my special thanks to Edel McPeak, who along with my old friend Ray Townsend helped you identify the Marines of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines as the recipients of some of your care packages. We appreciate your gifts and it helped us think of home.” (2016)
Peter Jacob, US Army
“First of all I would like to offer my sincere appreciation for the two care packages that you sent me. I received them a few days ago and all of the guys on my team really enjoyed the contents. A special thanks to whomever included the Stag brand chili, Dole fruit cups, coconut coffee, and the chickpeas! It is always great to be able to supplement / mix up the rotation of food that is served at the chow hall. Also, the Q-tips were very much appreciated for their usefulness in cleaning equipment, weapons, etc. Our Iraqi counterparts took all of the periodicals, although I’m pretty sure all they did was look at the pictures….Once again, thank you so much for the care packages and more importantly, for thinking of us while we are deployed. It means a lot to know that there are still people back home that care and have us in their thoughts.” (2016)
Ryan Henderson, US Air Force
“Thank you very much for the care package provided to us. I have shared the treats with the members of our camp as well as the message sent along with it. The troops do enjoy the comfort and support provided from the home-front.” (2015)
Bob Ruby, US Navy
“My apologies for the late reply, but I wanted to say Thank You very much to you and all of the volunteers at Freedom Steps for the care package you sent. I believe my mother, Marianne Ruby, submitted my name. She lives in Horsham and works at Keith Valley Middle School and it made me smile to see some of the cards in the package were from Keith Valley. I am currently a Naval Flight Officer in VAW-116, the Sun Kings. I appreciate everyone volunteering their personal time during the holidays to send a care package, it brightened my day! We are at the 6 month mark of our deployment and have about 100 days to go! …. Thank you again.” (2015)