In "A note to our Minnesota readers," I asked our Minnesota readers to answer the call of Minnesota National Guardsman Dave Thul, serving in Iraq with Weapons Company 1-133, asking on behalf of his unit for conservative reading material. This afternoon we have received a message from Dave's wife, Heather:

I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks...I am proud to say that I am Sgt Dave Thul's wife. On May 16th, you put out a note to the MN readers to send books or magazines overseas to his unit. This request has been picked up by different sites, and Dave has been overwhelmed by the response.

He has been receiving multiple deliveries everyday, up to 18 packages in one day. He will be sharing the books with other units as they make their rounds. I spoke with him this morning, and we were both amazed at people's generosity for total strangers. Sometimes it's the little things that help renew our faith in each other and remined us that people really do care about our guys over there. It's nice to read the good stuff once in a while.

Thanks to all our readers who have circulated Sergeant Thul's request and responded to his call. Once again, his mailing address is:

SGT Dave Thul
Weapons Company 1-133
APO AE
09333-0000

Special thanks to Janet Beihoffer (first off the mark), Steve Hayward (who sent his own book Greatness) and Royal Dellinger (first off the mark outside Minnesota).

UPDATE: Proving the value of repetition, Brad Miner of Compass Points Blog and Doubleday Entertainment's American Compass Books writes:

I'm at home just now, but when I'm back in the office on Tuesday I'll arrange to have a bunch of books shipped to Sgt. Thul.
-Brad

Brad Miner
Editor-in-Chief
American Compass
Military Book Club
Outdoorsman’s Edge

Looking at Brad's lines, I think we have hit the mother lode. A special thanks to Brad.

MORE: Royal Dellinger writes to add:

I am sending more reading material this week. I've asked my friends, Lt.Col. Steve Silvey and Lt. Col. Art de Lorimier for their help in accumulating. Steve is Trauma/Critical Care and Art is Chief, Pediatrics, both at Walter Reed, so this means much to them and theirs.