THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND SUGGESTIONS, THE PROBLEM IS HE DOESN'T WANT ME TO ASK FOR HELP, HE FAIRLY WITHDRAWN, AND AT TIMES EVEN GOES WITH OUT FOOD, UNTIL WE GO OVER AND JUST WALK IN AND CHECK HIS REFRIG. THEN WE BRING HIM FOOD, BUT HE DOESN'T WANTIT, CAUSE HE CAN'T PAY IT BACK. SO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING IN SORT OF A ROUNDABOUT WAY. I JUST THOUGHT IF HE COULD HAVE A BUNCH OF CHRISTMAS CARDS, AND MESSAGES FROM SOME OF HIS MILITARY BROTHERS, IT WOULD BE A GREAT SURPRISE, HE NEVER GETS MAIL, ONLY HIS MONTHLY CHECK, SO ANY HELP YOU CAN BE WOULD BE GREAT!!! THANKS COLLEEN
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP AND ADVICE, I WILL CONTACT PEOPLE YOU SUGGESTED, I KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT, HE IS SO LONELY JUST FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TO, SOMETIMES, HE DOESN'T SEE OR TALK TO ANYONE IN DAYS. AS FOR T SHIRT SIZE, HE PROBABLY WEARS A MEDIUM, HE WAS A SNIPER IN THE WAR, AND DID 2 TOURS IN VIETNAM, HE HAS TROUBLE SLEEPING AND REMEMBERING, SOMETIMES MY HUSBAND TAKES A SIX PACK OVER AND THEY SIT AND TALK, AND THE STORIES HE TELLS, I CANNOT IMAGINE HAVING TO LIVE WITH, LET ALONE LIVE THRU, AND OF COURSE HIS COUNTRY MADE HIM FEEL LIKE A TRAITOR FOR MOST OF THAT, ALTHO THATS NOT TRUE NOW, HE STILL REMEMBERS WHAT HE CAME HOME TO. HIS EMPHYSEMA HAS ADVANCED TO THE POINT HE CAN BARELY LEAVE THE HOUSE AND IS ON OXYGEN ALL THE TIME, THATS WHY I THOUGHT SOME CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HE HAS BEEN THRU, WOULD HELP SO MUCH, THE ONLY MAIL HE EVER GETS ARE BILLS, AND HIS CHECK ONCE A MONTH, WELL THANKS AGAIN, AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS WORKS OUT TO BE, AGAIN, THANKS SO MUCH. COLLEEN
NO I AM NOT A REGULAR POSTER, I JUST CHECKED THE LINK YOU SENT, AND WAS TOUCHED THAT THERE WERE ALREADY RESPONSES, I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL E MAILS, ASKING WHAT ELSE THEY CAN SEND I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A COUPLE OF E MAILS FOR RICHARD, SO HAVE DECIDED TO PRINT THEM AND MAKE A ALBUM WITH THEM IN IT, I HAVE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP, I REALLY WASN'T SURE HOW THIS WOULD GO OVER, BUT YOUR HELP HAS MADE IT EASY, NEARLY EVERYONE I HAVE HEARD FROM SAID BRUCE SENT THIS, AND I WANT TO HELP, I WILL MAKE SURE HE KNOWS THE PACKAGE CAME FROM YOU, AND WHAT A HELP YOU HAVE BEEN TO THIS CAUSE. DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU HEAR BACK FROM HIM. I HAVEN'T LOOKED FORWARD TO A CHRISTMAS SO MUCH SINCE I WAS A KID. THANKS AGAIN, AND WILL KEEP YOU UPDATE ON WHAT I AM SURE IS GOING TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS!!! COLLEEN
79 posted on 11/15/01 5:48 AM Pacific
AND TO ALL WHO HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS WITH THERE REPLIES, I AM JUST OVERWHELMED, THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT, THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER, I CAN SEE I MAY HAVE TO GET SEVERAL LARGE BASKETS!! FOR THOSE OF YOU ASKING IF YOU CAN SEND ANYTHING ELSE, I LEAVE THAT UP TO ALL OF YOU, IF YOU CAN SPARE A DOLLAR TO TWO, GREAT, IF YOU WANT TO SEND A SMALL PACKAGE WONDERFUL. BUT PLEASE DON'T FEEL OBLIGATED TO SEND MORE THAN A CARD, ALL OF THESE WILL TOUCH HIS HEART IN A WAY THAT NOTHING ELSE COULD. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU, THANKS AGAIN. COLLEEN CASTILLO
125 posted on 11/16/01 2:54 PM Pacific
HI, WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I JUST RECEIVED A VISIT FROM THE LOCAL MARINES, THEY HAD A COPY OF MY LETTER, AND WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEIR BROTHER, WHAT DOES HE NEED, HOW CAN THEY HELP, AND WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO, BOTH ARE BRINGING CAKES AND PIES OUT FOR THANKSGIVING, AND WE JUST FOUND OUT HIS HEATER IS OUT, AND THEY ARE GOING TO HELP WITH THAT. THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO SET HIM UP WITH MEALS ON WHEELS, WHICH NOT ONLY HELPS WITH THE FOOD PART, BUT GIVES HIM A DAILY CONTACT. THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT GO OVER THERE TODAY BUT LINE SOME THINGS UP, AND THEN COME BACK OUT, SINCE THEY KNEW WHERE HE LIVED NOW, THIS JUST KEEPS ON GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. I OBVIOUSLY PICKED THE RIGHT PERSON TO GO TO FOR HELP, I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE DONE, AND HOW VERY MUCH IT IS APPRECIATED. MY HUSBAND IS A TRUCK DRIVER, AND SPENDS THE MOST TIME WITH RICHARD, AND HE HAS BEEN GONE SINCE I POSTED THE LETTER, HE WILL BE BACK TODAY AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR HIM TO SEE ALL THE WONDERFUL REPONSES. AT BEST WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET A FEW CHRISTMAS CARDS, NEVER DID WE THINK IT WOULD GROW TO THIS. THANKS AGAIN, COLLEEN
158 posted on 11/20/01 7:28 AM Pacific
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, I HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU, YESTERDAY MY MAILBOX WAS PACKED! WE ARE ALSO RECEIVING THANKSGIVING CARDS,AND A COUPLE OF SMALL PACKAGES. FIRST AND FOREMOST I WISH TO SAY A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO BRUCE TACKETT, WHO HAS MADE THIS A COMPLETE SUCCESS, AND FROM THIS DAY ON WHEN I HEAR THE PHRASE A FEW GOOD MEN, I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF HIM AT THE VERY TOP OF THAT LIST!
MY HUSBAND TOOK THE THANKSGIVING CARDS AND A PACKAGE FROM BRUCE TO RICHARD LAST NIGHT, HE IS SO DOWN WITH HOLIDAYS SO NEAR, AND HE OPENED THE PACKAGE FROM BRUCE FIRST WHICH CONTAINED A BEAUTIFUL KNIFE, A UNITED STATES MARINE CORP, KNIFE, RICHARD WAS SO MOVED HE BROKE INTO TEARS, THAN HE OPENED A PACKAGE FROM SOME WONDERFUL GIRLSCOUTS, WHO HAD ALL MADE HIM HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS CARDS, MY HUSBAND HAD TO FINISH READING THEM TO HIM, BECAUSE HE WAS CRYING SO HARD HE COULDN'T SEE. HE KEPT SAYING I THOUGHT NO ONE CARED, AND I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN, HOW CAN THEY DO THIS PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW ME. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I SAID TO MAKE PEOPLE DO THIS, AND MY HUSBAND TOLD HIM, SHE TOLD THEM THE TRUTH, THAT THERE IS A VIETNAM HERO, DOWN AND WITH LITTLE, AND ALONE WITH NO FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, AND YOU ALL HAVE RESPONDED ABOVE AND BEYOND, BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME TO CARE, HE NOW KNOWS, HE HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN, AND DOES INDEDD HAVE FAMILY EVERYWHERE.
IN A SHORT TIME HE WENT FROM DREADING EVERYDAY THAT BRINGS THE HOLIDAYS CLOSER, TO ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM, WE ARE GETTING HIM A SMALL TREE, TO PUT ALL THE PRESENTS COMING IN FOR HIM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE 4 YEARS WE HAVE KNOWN HIM HE WILL HAVE HAD A TREE, LET ALONE SOMETHING TO GO UNDER IT. AND TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE ASKED IF YOU CAN SEND HIM E MAILS, HE HAS NO PHONE, SO OF COURSE NO COMPUTER, BUT YOU CAN SEND THEM TO ME, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO PRINT THEM OUT AND PUT THEM IN A SCRAPBOOK, I AM PUTTING TOGETHER FOR HIM, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE WONDERFUL POEMS I HAVE RECEVIED. THE ADDRESS IS ciscoll2001@earthlink.com ( that is CISCOLL) THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION OF IF THE LL'S ARE 11'S. SO ONCE MORE, MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, WHO HAVE RESPONDED, AND KEPT THIS THING GOING BY SENDING IT ON TO OTHERS, AND ASKING WHAT MORE CAN YOU DO, YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE HEART OF A MAN IN A WAY HE WILL NEVER FORGET, NOR WILL I, I CANNOT BEGIN TO THANK YOU ENOUGH. HAPPY THANSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU, YOU HAVE HELP TO REMIND US ALL WHAT A WONDERFUL COUNTRY WE LIVE IN AND AMERICANS, AND VETS TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN. BLESS YOU ALL, COLLEEN
200 posted on 12/6/01 8:50 AM Pacific
HI EVERYONE, THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT TIME FOR AN UPDATE, I WISH I COULD TELL YOU HOW GREAT THIS CHRISTMAS IS TURNING OUT FOR RICHARD, WE GOT HIM HIS TREE, AND A VCR, THAT WE WENT AHEAD AND GAVE HIM BEING HOUSEBOUND WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE HIM CRAZY, BUT WE TAPE ALL THE SHOWS WE CAN FROM THE SATALLITE, AND HE IS A LOT BETTER, ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT NOT A DAY HAS GONE BY THAT HE DOESN'T GET AT LEAST 3 OR 4 CARDS, SOMEDAYS IT IS MORE THAN THAT, WE HAVE BEEN GIVING HIM A FEW A DAY, AND HE THINKS THAT IS ALL THERE IS, AND IS MOST HAPPY WITH THAT, BUT I STILL HAVE A BAGFUL ALONG WITH SEVERAL GIFTS FOR HIM, THAT I AM WRAPPING AS THEY COME IN, I WRAP THEM BOX AND ENVELOPE AND ALL, I DON'T OPEN THEM, AND PLAN TO TAKE THEM OVER A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE HAS ALL THE CARDS HE HAS GOTTEN SO FAR DECORATING HIS HOUSE, AND A LIST OF EVERYONE WHO HAS SENT HIM ONE, HE INTENDS TO RESPOND TO EVERYONE OF YOU AND THANK YOU PERSONALLY, SO EXPECT TO HEAR FROM HIM, HE FEELS LIKE HE HAS SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO DO, BUT ALL OF YOU, PLEASE ACCEPT MY DEEPEST THANKS FOR THE TOTAL SUCCESS OF THIS, YOU HAVE MADE THIS MAN FEEL LOVED AND APPRECIATED, WHEN HE FELT HATED AND FORGOTTEN, AND TOTALLY ALONE IN THIS WORLD, AND AGAIN A SPECIAL THANKS TO BRUCE TACKETT, WHO TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY MARINE TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN, AND GOT THE MESSAGE OUT TO EVERYONE, MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL,(WHAT CAN I SAY, I AM A TEXAN!!) COLLEEN & CISCO CASTILLO
HELLO EVERYONE, I HAVE A LETTER FOR YOU FROM RICHARD, AND I HAVE BEEN SWORN TO WRITE IT WORD FOR WORD,
MY DEAR FRIENDS, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO BE RECIEVING YOUR CARDS AND LETTERS, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO ME. THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY HOLIDAYS VERY SPECIAL. NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW HOW MUCH COLLEEN AND CISCO MEAN TO ME, THEY ARE NOT ONLY MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, BUT THEY ARE MY ADOPTED FAMILY. BEING ON A LIMITED INCOME, THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME, TO BRING FOOD OR MORAL SUPPORT IN MY TIME OF NEED. I CAN NEVER REPAY THEM FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR ME. I WISH YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND THANKS FOR EVERYTHING. RICHARD WORKMAN.
NOW FOR MY 2 CENTS WORTH, RICHARD HAD A TRIP TO THE HOSPITAL, HAD A LOT OF FLUID ON HIS LUNGS AND HAD TO HAVE THAT TAKEN CARE OF, BUT IS HOME NOW, WE WANTS TO RESPOND TO ALL OF YOU, BUT I DON'T GUESS HE REALIZED HOW MUCH THIS WOULD TAKE SO I TOLD HIM ANYTHING HE WANTED TO SAY TO WRITE AND I WOULD POST IT, I ALSO TOOK HIM A BOOK OF STAMPS AND SOME CARDS SO HE CAN STILL WRITE TO PEOPLE, HE ENJOYS IT SO MUCH. HE TOLD ME HE HAS HEARD FROM PEOPLE HE KNEW AND SOME WHO WERE IN SAME AREA AT SAME TIME, AND DIDN'T KNOW BY NAME BUT KNEW ANYWAY. HE IS STILL OVERWHELMED WITH RESPONSE, AND STILL DOESN'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT. ONE THING THAT WILL TELL YOU WHAT KIND OF PERSON RICHARD IS, A WOMAN SENT HIM A 10.00 CHECK, AND HE SENT IT BACK TO HER, TELLING HER SURELY NEEDY KIDS COULD USE IT MORE.
I AM STILL RECIEVING AT LEAST 6 CARDS A DAY, AND OFTEN MORE THAN THAT, AND HAVE SEVERAL PACKAGES, READY FOR CHRISTMAS EVE, THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THERE CONTINUED SUPPPORT. COLLLEEN P.S. ONE THING HE MENTIONED WAS HOW WIDE THE RESPONSE IS, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ONE STATE THATS BEEN LEFT OUT, EVEN CARDS FROM CANADA, IT IS FANTASTIC!! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!
228 posted on 12/21/01 9:30 AM Pacific
OK EVERYONE, ONE MORE UPDATE BEFORE THE BIG DAY, I WISH I HAD THE WORDS TO TELL YOU HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS HAS BEEN, I HAVE RECIEVED OVER 100 CARDS, HAVE 8 OR 9 GIFTS WRAPPED AND READY TO BE DELIVERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE, RICHARD HAS BEEN GIVEN 5 OR 6 CARDS EVERY 2 OR 3 DAYS, AND THINKS THAT IS ALL THERE IS, AND COULD NOT BE HAPPIER, HE HAS TOLD ME SEVERAL TIMES YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS HAS MEANT TO ME, BUT THE TRUTH IS HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT THIS HAS MEANT TO ME AND MY HUSBAND, WHAT STARTED OUT TO GET HIM A FEW CARDS, HAS TURNED OUT JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO US, SO MANY GOOD HEARTED CARING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, WITH ALL THE BAD NEWS YOU HEAR EVERYDAY, THE GOOD GETS ECLIPSED, BUT THIS IS A CHRISTMAS I WILL NEVER FORGET, I KNOW IT IS ONE RICHARD WILL NEVER FORGET, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THIS MONTH HE HAD SOME MINOR CAR PROBLEMS, TOOK THE LAST FEW DOLLARS HE HAD, AND HE CAME TO BORROW CAT FOOD, WELL MY HUSBAND WENT TO TAKE IT OVER, AND I REACHED IN THE BAG AND PULLED OUT 5 CARDS, AT RANDOM, AND HE TOOK THEM OVER, RICHARD STOPPED BY LATER TO TELL US IN ONE CARD WAS A 5 DOLLAR BILL, IN ANOTHER WAS A GIFT CARD FROM WALMART, WHICH IS WHERE HE HAPPENS TO SHOP, AND IT WAS FOR 100.00.
I GOT AN E MAIL ASKING ME IF THIS WOMEN COULD SEND HIM A GIFT CARD FROM WALMART, COULD HE USE IT, I NEVER DREAMED IT WAS FOR 100.00, AND IT CAME AT THE EXACT MOMENT HE NEEDED IT SO DESPERATLEY, HOW GENEROUS IS THAT, TO GIVE SOMEONE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW 100.00. WELL I SWORE I WASN'T GOING TO TEAR UP ON THIS ONE, NOW I AM CRYING AND TYPING IN WRONG LETTERS, OK, SO... MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU ALL, CONGRATULAIONS TO ALL OF YOU YOU HAVE MADE A FORGOTTEN MARINE, HAVE THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER WILL UPDATE AFTER CHRISTMAS, SINCE WE STILL HAVE 5 DAYS, BUT WANTED TO TELL YOU ALL MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, THANK YOU. COLLEEN
232 posted on 1/2/02 3:08
HELLO EVERYONE, HOPE YOU ALL HAD AS GOOD A CHRISTMAS, AS YOU ALL HAVE MADE RICHARDS AND MINE. FIRST, I HAVE A LETTER FROM RICHARD:
MY DEAREST FRIENDS AND COMRADES, I HAVE ASKED COLLEEN AND CISCO TO SEND THIS TO YOU , NO WORDS COULD EVER EXPRESS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN I HAVE HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS, AFTER CISCO LEFT MY HOME,AFTER BRINGING ALL YOUR CARDS AND GIFTS, THE TEARS WERE UNCONTROLLABLE, I COULD NEVER BEGIN TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. IT WILL TAKE ME SOME TIME, BUT I PROMISE TO SEND OUT CARDS AND LETTERS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU WHO HAVE MADE MY LIFE SO COMPLETE. THANK YOU COLLEEN AND CISCO, I LOVE YOU GUYS WITH ALL MY HEART, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS OVER SEAS PROTECTING US, AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, RICHARD
NOW MY TURN, I HAVE SAID THANK YOU MANY TIMES, BUT ONE MORE TIME, BRUCE, THANKS WITHOUT YOU THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN THE HUGE SUCCESS IT WAS, AND TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GREAT PEOPLE, WHO CAME THROUGH AND GAVE FROM THERE HEARTS, RICHARD HAD A CHRISTMAS HE WILL NEVER FORGET, HE RECIEVED ABOUT 150 CARDS, AND MANY MANY CARDS HAD MONEY, 5 AND 10 DOLLARS, SOME MORE, SOME ONLY A HEARTFELT THANKS FOR FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM, WHICH MEANT SO VERY MUCH TO HIM, THE GIFTS WERE GREAT, AND EVEN HIS CAT WAS NOT FORGOTTEN. I WILL BE SENDING PICTURES SHORTLY TO BRUCE WHO IS GOING TO POST THEM ON HIS SITE, AND THEN I WILL BOW OUT, AND ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT RICHARD, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO, IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO HIM, UNFORTUANTELY HIS HEALTH IS MUCH WORSE, AND THE WINTER IS VERY HARD FOR HIM, I TRULY DON'T BELIEVE HE WILL MAKE IT TO SEE ANOTHER CHRISTMAS, ALTHOUGH I HOPE I AM WRONG. SO HIS ADDRESS IS RICHARD WORKMAN, 3300 S. KNOX, ODESSA,TEXAS 79763, AND SINCE YOU HAVE ALL BEEN SO KIND, I WILL MENTION HIS BITRHDAY IS FEB 14 TH. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM, YOU WILL, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ALSO SENT ME CARDS AND LETTERS SAYING WHAT A GREAT THING I WAS DOING, THANK YOU, AND REMEMBER I ONLY ASKED, THATS EASY, YOU ALL WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF SENDING WHATEVER YOU COULD BUT THE LETTERS TELLING HIM HE WAS A HERO STILL, MEANT MORE THAN ANYTHING TO HIM, HE TREASURES THEM, THANK YOU,ALL OF YOU, MAY THE NEW YEAR BRING YOU ALL MUCH HAPPINESS, COLLEEN AND CISCO CASTILLO-
