“The cops from the 5th--told me the hardest thing they had to do was leave people they were helping but couldn't carry bcs everyone was so messed up--they had to leave people who were alive and RUN for their own lives. They were visibly upset and depressed about having to abandon people. Those were the guys who said "you won't forget us, right?" These NYPD tough guys--so far in speaking with them I can see they are are trying to maintain a professional demeanor but virtually all these men start to cry. I feel so badly. And all I can do is show them the artwork and they brighten up and seem so touched. It's been quite a learning experience......”—Daphne (Oct 10, 2001)

Oct 13 2001:

October 13, 2001
Dear Steve,
Just to let you know that a box of pins arrived. They look really great.
We all are looking forward to giving them out to the relief workers.
Thanks so very much!!!
Clare

From Clare, (Friday) 11/16/01
We've had such tremdous response from the rescue workers with the buttons in the sense that they really liked them and they are beautifully made. They were quite touched that they were thought of. One felt guilty even taking one, but I convinced him that these were especially made for them and he took one, smiling.

From Daphne, (Friday) 11/16/01
Clare and me and some of her friends plan on stopping by the Port Authority Police tomorrow afternoon with some buttons bcs we haven't seen much of them and they got hit particularly hard. Pix will be forthcoming but tell pdkk please be patient photo ops not available 'on demand' and there's just a lot of work but it's fun. And I feel a little uncomfortable saying to some big guy "oh you're crying mind if I take a snapshot?" What a sad thing has happened here, and these guys just return to it everyday. A lot of these 6'2" 225 lb types cry frequently--so I guess all that tough guy stuff is overdone? And ain't no one callin' em cry babies that's for sure!

PDKK for the USS Elrod Update

Mama Roux, being a Navy Mom, has undertaken the project of sending XMas cards to the USS Elrod, stuffed with telephone calling cards! All in the name of the Pet de Kat Krewe.

(November 17, 2001) Mama Roux writes in reference to the XMas cards and phonecard gifts:

 I'll pass them [xmas cards + calling cards] all onto the Captain with a letter and I'll fill out the customs paper. That way, if the sailor who gets it wants to drop a line to who ever sent the card, they can.

I'd like to thank those who have sent me checks and cards for this project or calling cards and cards. So far I actually have 105 cards in hand out of a total commitment of 180 cards. There are 300 men on this ship, so we are just over half way there. Please consider participating in this project. Drop me an e-mail if you are interested or have questions... And don't forget partnering is certainly encouraged!


(November 29, 2001) Mama Roux Update

I can not begin to express my love and gratitude to each and every wonderful Kat who not only helped me with this project, but helped to push it beyond the original dream.

I want to thank Steve LBI for his unending generosity and help, along with IBJammin (Jennifer & her hubby David), Jen's pal Susan, IrmaLouise (Angel), Monty & da Bride, Voo, Steve (the birthday King) Apple, Jambalaya Joe, Beach Bob & Linda, Karen & Jim in Chicago, Paulie I., Lisa P., Little Red Dino, WhirlWendy (whose notes really made me cry), and my family members. I am expecting cards from Billy the Rhino and Karen S. by this weekend.

I heard from the Command Master Chief. On Christmas day, because some men will be leaving and some other will be joining the crew of the Elrod, the exact count will be 240 men on board. I have cards for about 320 men. Now for the really good news... one of the principals of the engineering firm where John works asked how JT (Squid) was doing... and John told him about my project with the PDKK .... so they offered to pick up the cost for the additional calling cards so each man will now receive TWO 45 minute calling cards! I am so thrilled about this! I can't thank you all enough! Now kids will hear from their daddies, girlfriends will hear from their boyfriends, wives will hear from their husbands and hopefully, parents will hear from their sons.

I will keep you posted about what I hear back from the ship. My eyes are so leaky today... but I'm sure it will be worse on Sunday when we go to the Army/NAVY game with my nephew the West Point Cadet. Yes, I am wearing my NAVY MOM shirt even though we'll be sitting by the Cadets... after all each side is full of winners!

My thanks, love and warmest regards to all my PDKK pals!

M A M A R O U X

The first batch of cards arrived onboard the USS Elrod, Friday, Dec. 7th. I have had notes from a lot of folks about it including (in order of receipt) Command Master Chief Oakley:

> Mr. and Mrs. Moore, 
> Thank you for your support and generous gift to the crew of Elrod. You son is 
> a joy to me personally. He has a way of making me smile no matter how bad my 
> day goes. Because I have men leaving and new ones replacing them in Dec, I 
> will say 240 is a good number. Please address to me. Thanks. 
> 
> CJ Oakley 
> Command Master Chief 
> USS ELROD FFG55

Commander Neary (Captain of the USS Elrod):

> Mr. & Mrs. Moore, 
> Thanks for your kind and generous gift to my crew this holiday season. I 
> cannot begin to tell you what this means to many of my Sailors. In 
> appreciation of your efforts, I'd like to send your organization, Pet De Kat 
> Krewe, a plaque from my crew thanking you for thinking of us during the 
> holiday season. If you could please provide a mailing address, I will get 
> the plaque in the mail this week. 
> 
> All the best! CDR Chuck Neary CO, USS ELROD FFG 55 
> 
> P.S. Your son is doing great! It is a pleasure to have him on board!

(yup, that last line was all I needed to hear)

This is from FCC Mann, one of JT's Chief Petty Officer's:

> Jacki, 
> 
> How are you doing? I have been meaning to write you for some time now but have 
> not done a very good job. I want to thank you for the pictures of the kids 
> that you sent, and also for the phone cards you sent to the ship. Master Chief 
> got them in today and we plan to hand them out at a little party we are trying 
> to put together for the crew next time we pull in. That was very thoughtful 
> and would like you to tell all who helped thanks, things like that mean a lot 
> to us when we are out here away from all we hold dear. JT is doing well and is 
> almost finished working on the mess decks, only about 30-40 days before he 
> gets back to the division. He is a good guy and is well liked in the command, 
> and it will be good to have him back. JT is one of those guys who always has a 
> smile on his face and something funny to say, and it is hard to be in a bad 
> mood long around him. You should be very proud of him, as I know you are. Well 
> I must close for now, you all take care of yourselves, I worry more about 
> you guys back home than I do about us out here. The world is such a crazy 
> place right now, Hopefully we can bring a little sanity to it. 
> 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> David Mann

Another from Command Master Chief Oakley:

> Dear Mr. and Ms. Moore. I received the first box of cards today. We plan to 
> have a Christmas party for the crew soon. I will give them out then. We 
> would like to show you and your friends by sending a plaque and some ball 
> caps. Could you please send me your address. I plan to engrave the plaque to 
> you and your husband and I will use the list of contributors you sent me 
> before for the ball caps. You are wonderful. 
> 
> vr/CJ

From STGSN Paley:

> Mrs. Moore, 
> Thank you for the phone card it will come in handy. On behalf of my family 
> and friends I wish you and your family the best of wishes for this holiday 
> season and the new year. 
> 
> Sincerely yours, 
> STG3 Kevin S. Paley Jr. (soon to be anyway)

This is from JT:

> Mom, The cards were handed out to the crew today. We didn't have the party, 
> it's been postponed. The CMC gave them out to the Chiefs to hand out. A lot 
> of people told me to say thank you to you and I gave the close ones your 
> email address so they can thank you personally. Mine was from Joe Grossman, 
> say thanks for me please. 
> love ya bye JT 
> PS pass the thanks on to everybody, ok. This is really great.

This is from FC2 McEntee:

> Dear Mr. and Mrs. Moore, 
> I would like to thank you both for the Christmas card and the calling 
> card. It was very nice of your family to send us all those cards. It really 
> means a lot to know that people back home are thinking about us. Your son is 
> a great guy, he's in my division. I hope you and your family have a very Happy 
> Holiday Season. I hope to meet you when we get back to the states. I am from 
> Philadelphia so I don't live too far from you. Again thank you for the Card. 
> Take care. 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> John McEntee

This is from EN2 Briones:

> Dear John & Jacki Moore, 
> Hello. My name is Junior Briones. I am on the USS Elrod with your son. He is 
> a good guy. I hang out with him every once in a while. Anyway, I just wanted 
> to tell you that I am very thankful for the phone cards you sent the ship. 
> I really appreciate it very very much. I am a Second class Petty Officer and 
> I work on air conditioning and refrigeration, diesel engines, and other 
> mechanical things. I really enjoy my job, just not the being away from my 
> family thing. I have been married for two years now, and have a 6 year old 
> step-son, and a year old daughter. 
> 
> Well, once again I thank you for the phone card, and want to wish you a very 
> Merry Christmas, and happy holidays. Wish you could spend it with your son. 
> Well, I have to get back to work. Take care. 
> 
> Thank you, 
> EN2 Briones (JR!)

And finally, a note from Dee, the ships ombudsman:

> Hi Jacki, I am glad that it went well for you and your husbands company helped 
> out, too. I know the guys will like it! Thank you so much for the support. 
> They could all use it. I thought I'd let you know my husband will probably 
> email in the next day or two. He wanted to thank you personally. 
> 
> The Half way Dinner will be January 19th at the Holiday Inn here in 
> Portsmouth. I am going to make the final plans tomorrow. I'll have all the 
> details after today. So I'll email you and give all the definites for the 
> half way dinner. Also we will video it and send it to the ship. We'll have a 
> Chinese auction - That is where items are wrapped and you just bid on it sight 
> unseen. All the monies raised will help pay for homecoming. I want the Elrod 
> to have the best ever. As far as I know it hasn't had a good one in years. I 
> know the last one they had consisted of a tent 2 pans of cookies, and fruit 
> punch. No Band, no banner, etc... We want it to very special. 
> So the more monies raised the better. Well it was great, as always, to hear 
> from you. I'll be emailing you soon. 
> Dee

So our thoughts and efforts are well appreciated. JT told me that they don't know the second box of calling cards and holiday wishes are coming yet. The first box was mailed the Monday after Thanksgiving, so it made good time. Maybe the second box will get their in time for Christmas day! I must admit to getting a bit blurry eyed when I read these, especially when I read how well liked my son is... I am very proud of him, as you can tell, and I miss him, but he is doing his job. We are seriously thinking about attending the half way dinner, especially because it will give us a good excuse to visit Monty and Paula if they are around.

I am very proud of all my friends and family, and JCA Associates of Moorestown, NJ who rallied around the flag and helped me pull this little bit of Holiday spirit together for the fine men of the greatest frigate in the U.S. Navy, the USS Elrod.

One last note, GM1 David Sledge, of the USS Elrod, is up for Sailor of the year! GM1 Sledge is a wonderful man from Tuscaloosa, AL. He has a great wife, Toni and three loving children. Sledge has been a positive influence and guiding force in JT's Navy career, along with FCC Dave Mann and GMC Don Colvell. Way to go Sledge!

I'll let you all know when the next batch of cards get there!

Happy Holidays to all, with love and gratitude,
Jacki

Proud to be a Navy Mom!
http://homepage.mac.com/jackimoore/PhotoAlbum.html