Madman Matt Evans is setting up a non-profit corporation called Operation Give under which we can coordinate the Toys for Iraq effort. This will allow us, amongst other things, accept donations for Chief Wiggles' toy drive from people who don't have the energy to shop for stuff, or who can only give 5 or 10 bucks. That is, if we can't get someone to donate the hosting service.
We're still working on setting up the web site. We're going to make sure to be deliberate about things, so we can do it right, but I suspect we'll have something more for everyone to see in the next few days. Stay tuned. In the meantime, here is where you send stuff to Chief Wiggles, along with suggestions for things to send, if you don't want to wait on us.
Those of us who've created buttons and volunteered in other ways will not be forgotten. Give us a little time to get back to people. Suggestions for vendors are still appreciated.
* Update * Oh, by the way, Virginia Postrel's instructions for shipping to an APO are spot-on correct from what I can see. Although I recommend against using Amazon, simply because you get get much better deals on bulk toys and other items at the Oriental Trading Company, and for toothbrushes and toothpaste and stuff at Toothbrush Express. At vendors like that, you can buy literally dozens of items and still only spend 20 or 30 bucks.Still looking for a place to buy cheap flip-flops...
Here's a couple:
http://www.outdoorsplusmore.com/footwear_kids_rider_clip_sandals.asp
and
http://shop.pacsun.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&categoryId=10070&parentCategoryId=10004&productId=33962&langId=-1&promo=FSPER&origin=DYN
Sorry about the long URL's. The second store is a $9 flip-flop and you get the second pair for 1/2 price.
I just did a quick search at eBay in its wholesale lots and found 144 flip flops for $50. eBay is a great place to look for wholesale items, I recommend everyone start their search there.
Don't forget BIG LOTS! if you have one in your area. I found 10 pack of pencils for .49; .99 for sketch pads; pencil sharpeners at 3 for .99; colored pencils, too. I still have more room in the box, so I'm going back for more tonight and will ship tomorrow.
And I found this.. looks like velcro slip-ons in lots. 36 pairs in assorted sizes for $2.50 a pair
http://www.wholesalemall.net/frisky/sandals.asp?sandCat=kids&indexNum=1
with shipping its $87.. Still looking
Dean,
The cheapest for flip-flops is China Town, and ask to speak with the shop owner for a special price. Chinese are easy to speak business, and they can make facilities for the expedition, and packaging (prepare the shoes off of boxes for the mail to be cheaper). I think that a money donation, plus benevolent should be the easiest way.
Regards,
I just found out when making a donation to a charity re-sale shop that they are not allowed to re-sell stuffed toys. They accept boxes of donations, not knowing what's in them and then have to throw the stuffed animals out. Some are
in remarkably good condition. I guess kids don't part with well-worn favorites! So check out your local re-sale shops and see if there are any 'gently-used' stuffed toys for this cause.
I recall seeing Canadian peacekeepers in Bosnia doing this and they had well organised easy to carry boxes of small toys to hand out. Each "set" came in a shoe box sized pack that was easy for one guy to carry around and held a couple of dozen toys. Favorites there were small superbounce balls, stickers, "matchbox" cars, plastic animals, what we used to call "dime store" or "loot bag" or "stocking stuffer" type things. These boxes allowed a soldier to have a small package handy to carry and hand out to gangs of kids while on patrol. Also very effective for defusing tense small crowd situations where kids are around watching. It's hard to be pissed off while watching soldiers open a box of cute surprizes and start handing them out to all your kids. I'm going to send a package like that I think.