A Summary of email posted by those involved this weekend
17-May-2003
    
Twentynine Palms Marine Base as the CBBQA cooks for the the
1st Marine Corps Division and their families.

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Post by: Bentley Meredith
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I am sure everybody is pooped, but if anyone can give an update on how the day went I would love to hear. Bet there were a lot of BBQ sauce smiles on them thar faces! ;D

Bentley Meredith
lwnna@yahoo.com 

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Post by: Bill Stadler
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Folks...
The day was FANTASTIC....we served OVER 500 folks., I am sure. Everything was a success. They couldn't stop thanking and complimenting us for our efforts. The day started with overcast sky....so it only got up to about 90 with a light breeze to cool things down. The kids loved their Disney CDs and other gifts. Everyone said that this was the best BBQ they had ever tasted. A few Marines from the south said this was the most authentic Q they had had since they left home! I really got to feel real old being called "sir" so much....such great manners in the military.When all was said and done, the families and marines left with "takehome" boxes and leftover watermelon. This was one bbq that will make several more meals to come on base.

I will sort out all my photos from the event and post them on my shutterfly account, perhaps tomorrow. I will post the URL and password for my file and anyone can view them and order any prints they would like. 

I am now going to collapse and hopefully sleep in tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the event to make it so successful.

Bill Stadler
w.stadler@worldnet.att.net 

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Post by: Del King
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Bentley,

It was better than Disneyland. All the people were so gratful that we had driven from all over southern California. They even had a Banner made thanking the CBBQA for supporting them. 

Yes we had alot of food and plenty of take home for the families. What was left was taken to a building for a group of Marines that were flying in from Iraq tonight. When they get off the bus from March Air Base they will be taken into a building where all the BBQ is waiting for them to eat. 

This is the advanced party for our boys. 


THEY ARE COMING HOME. We fed Marine from the rear party that helped set up extra table and chairs. The families showed up and really had a Blast. Over and Over again and again the same people would come up to me and say that you. They could not find the words in how much it ment for us to be there.

I had the honor to meet the Widow of the Marine SSgt D> Mays Jr. A member for the 1st Tank Battalion. A Marine that gave his life in Iraq. She was there as part of the 1st Tank Battalion family. Her husband passed away 29 March 2003. She is still feeling the loss but she could not find the words to express how much joy it brought to her knowing that there are people that were willing to give of their time and Heart. It gave her a boost for the day.

She gave me a laminated card with his picture on in on the back it reads

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at you back
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand
Semper Fidelis

Before I left for 29 Palms someone had posted a pic of me and added a few words in the upper right. Let me tell you this even squinting they could see the tears of joy in my eyes.

To bring such joy to so many that have sacrificed for us is worth it all.

It was worth every headache and even more.

Del
dking43622@yahoo.com


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Post by: Del King
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I don't know how to thank all the people that showed up and helped at the 29 Palms event. From Dan Cannon showing up at the airport the night before just to help with the long term meats and then leaving to do other things. Such a long drive to help and not stay for the rewards. All the volunteers that showed up to help with any task that was needed to be done.

I have received 2 phone calls from the base this morning thanking us again for the job we did. 

We will be the front page story for the base news paper in June. It is only published one time a month. They will send me a few copies.

This was my old Base so it was extra special for me and for so many people to get together and make this happen is kust great. The Marines have said that the CBBQA is and will be part of their extended family from now on. 

A special thanks to Don G for getting so many sponsors. The gifts from Disney were special. The gifts that Lynn (not even a member of CBBQA) teddy bears sand buckets toy for the kids. Anna McClerren who worked dealing with the kids told me that mothers were coming to her crying thanking her and US for what we did for the kids. They said it was so great for poeple to understand that the kids were going through such pain of the separation from their fathers that for us to remember the kids at this time brought such HAPPINESS to the kids.

Now for the biggest thank you of all is to Bill W for his help in logistic. He helped in so many way behind the scenes I can not list what all he did. He did so much and really didn't get the credit that he deserved while we were at the base. He deserves the biggest thank you from all of us.

And even a thank you for all the people that di not go but supported those that did go.

I wish I could expess the joy that the families felt towards the CBBQA but like the old saying words can not express the feeling.

THANK YOU ALL.


Del
dking43622@yahoo.com 

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Post by: Billy
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Hey y'all,

Thank you very much for letting me and my family help out. The effort exerted for the Marine families is to be truly commended. What a blast!

Thanks to everyone for there effort.

Billy
lumpdawg@pacbell.net 

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Post by: Daniel Howard
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I had more fun than humans should be allowed to have. What a GREAT day! 

I made record time getting to the airstrip and I'm really glad I didn't load my truck up with a bunch of junk so we had the room to take the important stuff. Everybody really worked their tails off and this thing came off better than I could've hoped for. What a complete joy it was to help put on an event such as this. 

Del, Don & Bill you da man. (men?) 

It was great to see old friends again and to meet new ones for the first time. 

And Billy, I didn't catch your last name, but you're about the nicest guy I've ever met in my life, sorry I blew your doors off when I passed you guys. 

I got to tell you, I slept like a baby last night. Good kind of tired. 

Daniel Howard
Daniel.A.Howard@kp.org 


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Post by: Pam Gram
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Hi,

I just wanted to thank everyone involved in Operation BBQ at 29 Palms! I had a great time, learned ALOT, and can't remember the last time I slept for more than 12:00 hours (went to bed at 10:00 p.m. last night and awoke by a phone call from my Mom at 10:31 this morning).

The temperature was bearable due to early morning cloud cover and afternoon breezes. Everyone did a fabulous job pitching in to make everything come together smoothly. I have never met such a great group of people--fun to be around and to work with.

Upon multiple occasions comments were directed to me from base members of how much these families appreciated what we had done. They could not believe that a group of people spanning from the Mexican border to the Ventura County line would do such a thing. Comments in the food line ranged from "This is absolutely awesome" to "This is the best BBQ since leaving home". The later comment coming from people from Tennessee, the Carolinas, Oklahoma and Texas.

You couldn't sign me up tomorrow to do this again on Tuesday. It will take my body at least a week to recover from muscle soreness. But ask me next weekend and I would/will do this again in a heart beat. I met alot of really super people and saw some of those whom I have met at the Q-Fest. Thanks for including us.

Pam Gram and Pete Weaver
pgram@jyt.com


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Post by: Bill Stadler
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To all interested...
I have made all my photos from the event avaliable on the shutterfly website located at:

http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b33f3a63c477

you can order prints and even a CD from this site.

Susan and I had a wonderful time and would do it again in a heartbeat.

It was very fullfilling to realise how appreciated our efforts were. The compliments and smiles made our day.

Thanks again for letting us take part in such a wonderful event.

Bill Stadler
w.stadler@worldnet.att.net 

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Post by: Grant Ford
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It was not a no fool'n feeding. Wow, I am tried but feel great about serving those whom serve us so well, GOD BLESS THEM!

Thanks to ALL! and special thanks to Del, Bill, Smoking John and Gene. To Kaye and Jake who came to help and stay at the serving line the whole day...Great friends and great people.

To the wives (Jeni) that helps to keep us going...and going...and going...!

To the cooks who with whatever unit they had make it pump out the fine BBQ for the folks.

To he helpers who Pulled Pork til their hands were as cooked as the pork butts!

To the Poly JROTC Guys who when we needed some young mussel pulled with all their weight and hearts.

To those I may have missed...Thank you from all of us.

Just an old fool crying why writing this, with warm thoughts to wives(husbands)and children that support the Troops with their love and hope of their save return. God be with them all.

Grant and Jeni Ford, a fool and his love.
pgfbbq@sbcglobal.net


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Post by: Del King
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I forgot to tell everyone,

You all remember the news footage of the Marine Tank Recovery vehicle that pulled down the statue of Saddam?

We just fed the families of the unit that did it. 1st Tank Battalion. So now you can put a picture of one of the units we fed.

Thanks again

Del
dking43622@yahoo.com