LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Coupons for troops

Dear Editor:

We’d like to say thank you to all of you who are cutting coupons for the military overseas. 

We do ship by weight so it would be helpful if you would cut as close to the coupons’ dotted line as possible without touching the dotted line. It would really help if you could use a No. 10 envelope to return them to us. And no more than three months expired, please. 

You can fold the coupons to fit the envelope, rubber bands to close. Do not seal (unless mailing). Please do not use plastic bags. They can not use computer coupons. 

As you know, these coupons have a triple purpose. First, each package includes a Christian tract and a Bible verse such as Joshua 1:7, Numbers 6:24-26 or James 1:5 (and others), with a prayer. 

Second, the coupons benefit the individuals who use them to stretch their shopping dollar the PX and commissaries. 

Third, the store turns in the coupons to the clearing agencies (that’s why all coupons must say “manufacturer coupon,” have an expiration date and have a bar code). The store actually receives money from the clearing house and this money is used to build improvements that would not have otherwise been possible with the tight budgets they are given to work with. 
We are now sending 65 12-oz. packages a month to such bases in Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. 

Thank you very much for your efforts. The time you spend gathering and cutting is time well spent for a very worthwhile cause. 

We have been sending weekly coupons since June of 1996, and have five scrapbooks of thank you’s. 

Marilyn Madru
Downey
Editor’s note: coupons can be mailed to 8632 Guatemala Ave., Downey CA 90240.