Now is the time to show support to our brave young men and women who serve and bring them some cheer. Since the missions constantly change, here are items that have been requested. Candy: Individually wrapped such as Twizzlers, Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Roll Pops, Bubble Gum, Skittles, Lollipops, Life Savers, Hard Candy Snacks: Microwave Popcorn, Nuts, Pretzels, other type snack foods but be sure to send small packets, they go around much better, easier to distribute. Energy bars, healthy snacks, granola bars, fruit strips. Cookies: Single serving size packs. Food:  Soups, Raman noodles, Tuna, any canned or packaged meals that can be microwaved. Kool-aid, Gatorade: and other powdered drink mixes, individual serving size are preferred. Dunkin Donuts: Flavored & Regular Coffee, Creamer, Tea bags, Cider Mix, hot chocolate. Clothes items:  T-shirts, tube socks, sports bras, bath towels. Toiletries items: Non-aerosol shaving cream, razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, feminine items, hair product, moisturizer, body & foot powder, wet wipes, hand sanitizers. lip balm, shampoo SMALL SIZES SHIP BEST Misc. items:  Fly strips, black pens, blank note cards, envelopes. Playing cards: and small board games such as Chess, Yahtzee, Checkers, Parcheesi, Uno etc. Letters & cards, they love to receive mail: notes of appreciation, drawings or a holiday cards. During their brief off time our soldiers have access to DVD players (mostly personal laptops), and would love movies of all kinds. (we would prefer to refrain from sending war movies.) Our goal is to ship as many boxes of cheer as possible. To donate any of the requested items please contact John & Wendy @ 617-504-0532. Please feel free to include notes and cards. Email John & Wendy @ john@jwrocca.com . Our deepest thanks, John Rocca, Dept. of Veterans Affairs Police Officer Wendy Rocca, Real Estate Broker *Sargent Tracy Rocca, Dept. of Veterans Affairs. US Army National Guard 101st Engineers Corporal Tony Rocca, Vocational School Teacher. US Army Reserves. 94th Military Police *Specialist Nick Rocca, Harley Davidson Motorcycle Mechanic. US Army National Guard.101st Combat Engineer. Watertown MA. Let us not forget those who serve! * Currently serving in Iraq.   501 3c Compliant

Two thousand one, nine eleven

Two thousand one, nine eleven
Five thousand plus arrive in heaven
As they pass through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait
A bearded man with stovepipe hat
Steps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"

They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud
"I have a dream!" and once he did
The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki, and green then say
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"
The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear
"The only thing we have to fear.
The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,
trust us sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves
You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"
The Newcomers had heard this voice before
A distinct Yankees twang from Hyannisport shores

A silence fell within the mist
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day

"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports
Worked our gardens, sang our songs
Went to church and clipped coupons
We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought
Unlike you, great we're not"The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said, "don't talk like that!
Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedom, just like me"
then, before them all appeared a scene
Of rubbled streets and twisted beams
Death, destruction, smoke and dust
And people working just 'cause they must

Hauling ash, lifting stones,
Knee deep in hell, but not alone
"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman
Side by side helping their fellow man!"
So said Martin, as he watched the scene
"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."
Down below three firemen raised
The colors high into ashen haze
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima back in '44
The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow - but I don't see fear."
"You left behind husbands and wives
Daughters and sons and so many lives
are suffering now because of this wrong
But look very closely. You're not really gone.

All of those people, even those who've never met you
All of their lives, they'll never forget you
Don't you see what has happened?
Don't you see what you've done?
You've brought them together, together as one.

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said
"Take my hand," and from there he led
five thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heaven
On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven