'Oregon Posse' sends care packages to troops
EUGENE, Ore. - When you’re serving in a dangerous, remote combat zone, a package from someone, anyone, makes life a little more bearable.
Five years ago Eugene attorney Bob Lowry started sending care packages to his nephew, a Navy SEAL serving overseas.
“It was good for him,” said Lowry, “but I wasn’t really satisfied that I wasn’t doing more to get a little bit more message of general support out.”
So Lowry got in touch with a friend who was a commander of the Texas national guard, and sent over some care packages to troops serving in Iraq.
“It created a model, because what he did is he kept a few things for himself - which is fine – and the rest he distributed down stream to the people and made sure there was a fair distribution,” Lowry said.
When a unit rotated home, they would put Lowry in touch with another unit. Once he got the ball rolling on a command level, Lowry could be sure his packages made it into the hands of soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We got to know them and got a relationship with them, and more and more we would send them more and more things,” said Lowry. Someone called them The Oregon Posse and it just stuck.
According to Lowry, “The support locally was tremendous, and basically what we have is people who wanted to help and were willing to spend a lot of money to support this but they just didn’t have the connection or the system.”
Today, the Oregon Posse is made up of anybody and everybody who wants to become involved, including former soldiers to people of all ages)who have never served but still want to make a difference and show their support.
Several times a year Lowry and the Oregon Posse send thousands of dollars worth of cigars, knives, jerky, portable dvd players, cameras, energy drinks, and anything else they think the soldiers may need or have fun with.
Lowry says his motivation comes from “these new notes that say ‘Thank you for the laughter,’ or ‘Thank you for the fun and thank you for the distraction.’”
Lowry encourages anyone who wants to show their support to help him help the troops.
“This is not a Bob Lowry thing, this is an Oregon Posse thing.”
