Donna Chase of Lakeside first started sending magazines to American troops deployed abroad in 2007, while trying to figure out what soldiers most wanted in care packages. She quickly realized that soldiers abroad were desperate for reading material, and so she started collecting magazines in Lakeside, Kalispell and throughout the valley.
Seven years later, Magazines For Troops is an accredited 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Lakeside that sends magazines to thousands of American troops deployed overseas. Each package they send contains around 40 magazines, ranging from North America Hunter to Rolling Stone to Sports Illustrated. However, as the company website points out, the initiative relies solely on donations, and with the flat rate for mail running to $12.35 a box, it’s hard to keep up with the demand from troops.
The magazines get rave review from soldiers, who are thankful for the effort and the thought as much as they are for the magazines themselves.
As one soldier writes, “We are so appreciative of folks like you that still support us 13 years into this war and you are the reason we do what we do. On a personal note it was great seeing a motorcycle mag in the bunch. Me and our 1SG are huge bikers and this was a real treat.”
According to Chase, the overwhelming gratitude of the soldiers is “the fuel that keeps us going.”
The packages can also be the fuel that keeps troops going. American soldiers stationed abroad often go through long periods of inactivity and boredom, punctuated by bursts of highly stressful and dangerous action. Researchers at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. posit that this irregular schedule has deleterious effects on both troop psychological well-being and performance. One of the things they recommend to help soldiers deal with these sudden swings is to make sure that soldiers are intellectually engaged during lulls. Magazines allow soldiers to keep up with the world, hobbies and home, and are a perfect way to provide both relaxation and stimulus during downtime.
Magazines For Troops’ expansion in the past seven years is a testament to how much soldiers appreciate and crave good reading material, but as it sends more magazines abroad every month, the company is in more need of the community’s support than ever. Although donations are the most urgent necessity, locals can also contribute by helping collect magazines or preparing the packages. As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s birthday, what better way to commemorate the occasion than by supporting those who put their lives on the line for our country?
You can visit the website at MagazinesForTroops.com, call 406-261-9408 about donating magazines, or mail a check of any amount directly to Magazines for Troops PO Box 909, Lakeside, MT 59922.