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Gift baskets filled with useful items and packaged as a present Video games Nintendo Links of London, PlayStation, Xbox Candy bars Homemade patriotic items Credit Dec. Kathy Triplett knows the value of a letter or care package. While she was deployed for Operation Desert Storm the war with Iraq she recalls lamenting that, on Dec. there they sat in degree heat at their Air Force station in the desert and Christmas was nowhere in sight. Then a big cargo plane landed with supplies, including an unexpected pallet of letters and Christmas boxes addressed to her the result of newspaper articles her father arranged Links of London F Charm in newspapers in Fort Wayne and Kendallville. The surprised Triplett and her squadron members dug in. Receiving a letter or package, especially at this time of year, "it means the world to you, it really does," she said of deployed U.S. military men and women. She'd like to return the favor by asking for community help in writing letters and sending care packages to her brother, U.S. Army Maj. Patrick Triplett, who will distribute them to soldiers he serves and civilians he works with during a yearlong deployment to Iraq. Patrick Triplett, who arrived in Iraq about two weeks ago, works in the personnel area. He hopes to boost soldiers' morale while also assisting them with his regular duties, such as emergency leaves, paperwork following an injury, family issues at home and other needs, said Kathy, who lives in Avilla. "He knew links of london sale way my dad was rallying the troops, rallying the civilians to help," she said. Their father, Harrison Triplett, served in the U.S. Army, as have his three sons Patrick and younger brothers David and Mike. The latter two sons served previously in Iraq and now are members of the Indiana Army National Guard in the Vincennes area. Kathy and her siblings grew up in Kendallville and graduated from East Noble High School before entering the military. During their military service, their father supported them, as well as other soldiers, with encouraging letters, care packages and other items, she said. He passed away in June . So Kathy stepped up to use the valuable lesson he taught her that even a simple letter or small items from home can give a big boost to the spirits of a deployed soldier. It's an opportunity to "pay it forward" to the soldiers who help defend our freedom, she said in an email. "We are all here with valentines Day bracelets  lighted Christmas trees, fireplaces and warmandsafe beds," she added, "while on the other side of the world, there is a solider whose bed is the floor." The Warm the Children program is administered through the .