Urban Legends/Snopes

[Tori]

Thought some of the Snopes topics might be of interest to some of us. Let's post those that are worth reading and are true and helpful or heck, just anything someone might be sending around or seeing online.

Let's Say Thanks


Claim:   The Xerox web site LetsSayThanks.com allows the public to send free personalized postcards to U.S. troops serving overseas.

Status:   True.

Example:   [Collected via e-mail, 2006]

If you go to the web site at www.letssaythanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. It is FREE and it only takes a second. I just did it...it's cool give it a try


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http://www.letssaythanks.com

If you go to the web site you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? I sent mine, now you can send one too!


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I thought you might be interested in this new Web site that lets you send a free printed postcard to a U.S. soldier stationed overseas. All you do is pick your favorite card, enter your message and then Xerox does the rest! Visit www.LetsSayThanks.com and send the troops some mail today. 

Origins:   On 26 June 2006, the Xerox Corporation launched the web site www.LetsSayThanks.com, a free service   
that allows the public to send personal messages to U.S. military personnel serving overseas. Xerox had held similar campaigns in communities such as Atlanta, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Due to strong positive response, it decided to expand the project nationwide. The messages are sent on postcards designed by children, selected from over 500 entries drawn and submitted by kids across the U.S.

Senders can choose card designs and write personalized messages (of 472 characters or less) to accompany them; once a month the cards are printed in batch at Xerox's facilities in Webster, New York, and distributed (along with packages from Give2TheTroops) to men and women deployed on active duty with all branches of the armed services in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. (Senders cannot designate specific persons as the recipients of their cards, but they can opt to have copies of their cards and messages delivered to their homes.)

Xerox has said it will continue to run the "Let's Say Thanks" program as long as there is a need for it.

Last updated:   30 July 2006

[Tori]

Another one I wasn't aware of.  (If these are not appropriate to post or any problems, admins please delete)

Military Shipping Kits


Claim:   The USPS provides free Priority Mail shipping supplies for customers sending packages to U.S. military personnel overseas.

Status:   True.

Example:   [Collected via e-mail, 2006]

I got the following today. I called the number, and this IS legit. Anyone can do it, family member or friend, so there is no more excuses regarding the cost of boxes, tape, packaging materials and labels. Best of all? It is FREE.

The USPS has a program for military family members and friends to supply them with packaging materials to send packages to troops overseas. If you call 1-800-610-8734 and select option # 1, Ask them for the "Military pack" they will send you boxes, tape, packaging materials and labels. They will also give you an I.D. number so if your supply runs low, you just call them up and they'll send you more supplies. The materials take about four to ten days to receive. I Don't know if any of you have mailed any packages lately, but if you go to mail box etc., they will charge you for the box, tape, peanuts, labels and everything else the can think of! After a while, those charges start to add up!

This is just FYI. I thought it was a pretty good deal and wanted to try and get the word out to anyone that didn't know about this program 

Origins:   Since the preponderance of "free merchandise" offers promoted via e-mail turn out to be nothing but hoaxes and pranks targeted at the gullible, we're pleased whenever we can announce that such an offer is genuine, especially so in this case as the ultimate beneficiaries are the men and women of the U.S. armed forces who are stationed overseas.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) will supply for free, to anyone who asks, specially packaged Priority Mail supplies for shipping "care kits" to members of the U.S. military stationed overseas. Each supply kit includes the following:
4 Priority Mail Flat-Rate "shoe box"-type shipping boxes

6 Priority Mail Flat-Rate "garment box"-type shipping boxes

10 Priority Mail labels

1 roll of Priority Mail tape

10 customs forms with envelopes
(The contents of the supply kits changes from time to time and sometimes includes other items, such as water-resistant   
Tyvek Priority Mail envelopes and Priority Mail address labels. Most of these items are ordinarily furnished for free to customers by the USPS.)

To obtain a free kit of shipping supplies, simply call the USPS' packing supplies order line at 1-800-610-8734, select option #1 ("Express Mail, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed products"), and ask a customer service agent for CAREKIT04 (or a "military kit"). You need supply only your name, address, and phone number, and they'll get a kit off to you that should arrive within 7-10 days. We've tried this service ourselves: it was easy to use, the USPS customer service agent we dealt with was courteous and efficient, and we were supplied with a customer ID number to expedite the process of ordering additional supplies. (This offer includes only packing materials — senders who use these materials still have to pay the requisite postage themselves.)

The USPS also offers a "Supporting Our Troops" page on their web site with links to guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops.

Last updated:   26 July 2006

[jrzydvl]

Another one I wasn't aware of.  (If these are not appropriate to post or any problems, admins please delete)

Military Shipping Kits


Claim:   The USPS provides free Priority Mail shipping supplies for customers sending packages to U.S. military personnel overseas.

Status:   True.

Example:   [Collected via e-mail, 2006]

I got the following today. I called the number, and this IS legit. Anyone can do it, family member or friend, so there is no more excuses regarding the cost of boxes, tape, packaging materials and labels. Best of all? It is FREE.

The USPS has a program for military family members and friends to supply them with packaging materials to send packages to troops overseas. If you call 1-800-610-8734 and select option # 1, Ask them for the "Military pack" they will send you boxes, tape, packaging materials and labels. They will also give you an I.D. number so if your supply runs low, you just call them up and they'll send you more supplies. The materials take about four to ten days to receive. I Don't know if any of you have mailed any packages lately, but if you go to mail box etc., they will charge you for the box, tape, peanuts, labels and everything else the can think of! After a while, those charges start to add up!

This is just FYI. I thought it was a pretty good deal and wanted to try and get the word out to anyone that didn't know about this program 

Origins:   Since the preponderance of "free merchandise" offers promoted via e-mail turn out to be nothing but hoaxes and pranks targeted at the gullible, we're pleased whenever we can announce that such an offer is genuine, especially so in this case as the ultimate beneficiaries are the men and women of the U.S. armed forces who are stationed overseas.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) will supply for free, to anyone who asks, specially packaged Priority Mail supplies for shipping "care kits" to members of the U.S. military stationed overseas. Each supply kit includes the following:
4 Priority Mail Flat-Rate "shoe box"-type shipping boxes

6 Priority Mail Flat-Rate "garment box"-type shipping boxes

10 Priority Mail labels

1 roll of Priority Mail tape

10 customs forms with envelopes
(The contents of the supply kits changes from time to time and sometimes includes other items, such as water-resistant   
Tyvek Priority Mail envelopes and Priority Mail address labels. Most of these items are ordinarily furnished for free to customers by the USPS.)

To obtain a free kit of shipping supplies, simply call the USPS' packing supplies order line at 1-800-610-8734, select option #1 ("Express Mail, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed products"), and ask a customer service agent for CAREKIT04 (or a "military kit"). You need supply only your name, address, and phone number, and they'll get a kit off to you that should arrive within 7-10 days. We've tried this service ourselves: it was easy to use, the USPS customer service agent we dealt with was courteous and efficient, and we were supplied with a customer ID number to expedite the process of ordering additional supplies. (This offer includes only packing materials — senders who use these materials still have to pay the requisite postage themselves.)

The USPS also offers a "Supporting Our Troops" page on their web site with links to guidelines for packing, addressing, and shipping items to U.S. troops.

Last updated:   26 July 2006

my faimly just ordered it for my brother who is overseas right now. they were helpfull and will send as many boxes and you need

[Tori]

Many prayers and thoughts for your brother.

I thought this one was great and was totally unaware of it.

[jrzydvl]

Many prayers and thoughts for your brother.

I thought this one was great and was totally unaware of it.

thank you

he told us about it this past saturday and we used to have to repackage stuff in boxes he sent us or ones we found around here b ut not anymore.