Woman sends troops bits of joy. Troops send a little joy back.

After sending care packages to troops overseas for nearly 15 years, Susan Follis knows a thing or two about shipping boxes.

But she had no idea what was in the beat-up box she found recently on the deck of her north Sedgwick home.

After seeing it had been sent from Afghanistan, Follis said, she thought the box had been sat on or hit by a forklift and whatever was inside must be broken.

Opening the box, Follis found another smaller box and, inside it, a framed flag and a certificate saying it was flown in Afghanistan in her honor.

“This document certifies that this United States of America flag was proudly flown by the men and women of the 4th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, in honor of Susan Follis,” the certificate reads.

“It was a real shock, let me tell you, and very humbling,” said Follis, 77. “Sometimes I just want to sit down and cry that these people would do something like this for me.”

Follis sends care packages containing everything from her handknitted caps – she’s knitted more than 1,500 – to food and toys overseas to support troops. Last year she sent 20 packages, she said.

“I’ve gotten real good at packing those packages,” Follis said.

Follis said she started sending care packages around 2003, when an in-law’s nephew was deployed to Iraq.

“I was asked why I didn’t do something,” Follis said.

So she did.

Follis e-mailed the man and asked him what things he would like. He told Follis he wanted a paddleball.

An odd request, Follis initially thought. She quickly became used to sending random items, because every person wanted something different.

Follis scours ads for sales and coupons and shops at discount stores to makes sure troops are getting her money’s worth.

“You can get a can of chili for a dollar,” Follis said. “Or how about ravioli? That’s stuff they don’t get.

“How about some packages of popcorn? Toothpaste? There’s always coupons for toothpaste.”

A staple of her packages are condiments, which she places at the top of the package in a plastic bag. The condiments can be sentimental to the troops, she said.

“I was told that this boy – I think they said he was 18 or 19 – he had a package of ketchup, and he held it up and said, ‘This package of ketchup came from McDonald’s,’ ” Follis said. “The kid actually had tears in his eyes.”

Follis’ son Ryan Weems said she always sends random things that will bring a little joy.

“Anything that she thinks will brighten their day or make them feel like they’re back at home,” Weems said. “It’s pretty amazing, actually.”

Weems said his mother continuously receives e-mails and letters thanking her for the packages. All Follis asks in return is that the troops share with everyone, she said.

Follis has sent care packages to countless troops, she said. Sometimes she helps the same people more than once.

“I had a guy from El Dorado. He was there, then someone took his place, then someone took his place, and then the guy from El Dorado was back,” she said.

“Some of these guys are being deployed over and over and over.”

Follis said some troops don’t have anyone to send them packages besides her.

“They’ll be there for years and never get a letter or a Christmas present,” she said. “You have to think about these people, you have to. I know I have to.”

Follis said most of the packages’ recipients have come back home. Some haven’t – a fact she finds as inspiring as the framed flag.

“When you are sending packages to a young man who doesn’t come back, you’re glad that you did what you did,” Follis said.

“It inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2017 at 7:53 PM with the headline "Woman sends troops bits of joy. Troops send a little joy back.."