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They fight the war, she ships the milk
Minnesotan sends gallons — still cold — to Iraq
Kim Fuhrmann, of Wester, MN, grabs one of eight gallons of milk that she is sending to the troops via her husband Major Roy Fuhrmann in Iraq, as she places them on the counter at the U.S. Post Office at the MSP airport on January 7, 2009. (Pioneer Press:Sherri LaRose-Chiglo) (Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)
A cold glass of milk.
That's what Maj. Roy Fuhrmann — a 45-year-old Minnesota farm boy serving in Iraq — should have been drinking with the Christmas goodies his wife sent. Kim Fuhrmann couldn't believe her husband was drinking Gatorade when she chatted with him via webcam last month.
"Where's your milk?" she asked.
Roy Fuhrmann, a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, drinks a gallon or more of milk a day when he's home in Webster, Minn. He said the troops' irradiated milk, which has a long shelf life, just didn't hit the spot.
Kim Fuhrmann has been on a milk mission ever since. She has shipped more than 30 gallons of milk — frozen and packed in dry ice — to Iraq during the past month. The milk maiden has become a hero to the troops serving in the 34th Brigade.
"You should have seen my Soldiers' eyes when they saw the milk. It was like I was holding the Stanley Cup or something," wrote Sgt. 1st Class Mark Anderson, who works with Roy Fuhrmann, in an e-mail dated Dec. 27.
"I even had one guy crush up chocolate-chip cookies, put them in his milk and eat them with a spoon, saying, 'I know I'm dreaming, but, please, no one wake me up.' That half-gallon went a long, long way."
Roy Fuhrmann told his wife: "One big guy was holding it like the jug was a baby. He drank right from the jug."
It took a couple of trial runs for Kim Fuhrmann, 44, to figure out the best way to ship cold milk overseas.
Here's what she learned: Plastic bottles work better than plastic bags of milk. Seal the milk in a plastic bag to avoid leakage. Fill out labels and forms before going to the post office.
"This is a taste of home," she said. "They're not complaining, but how can they have all these cookies sent over there and not have a cold glass of milk to wash it down with?"
Kwik Trip Convenience Stores, based in La Crosse, Wis., agreed to donate up to 100 gallons of milk for her mission. When store officials learned how much it cost to ship the milk overseas — $25.30 a gallon — they also donated $500 to cover some of the postage.
"Any time we can help out the troops, we try to do what we can," said Gary Gonczy, director of marketing and advertising for Kwik Trip.
Gonczy said reading the e-mails of gratitude has touched the hearts of company officials.
"It's amazing how a simple thing like a glass of milk can mean so much to a Soldier," he said.
When Kim Fuhrmann began investigating sending fresh milk to Iraq, she went to a dry-ice company, Continental Carbonic Products in Burnsville, to talk about shipping options. Company officials immediately signed on to donate the dry ice and shipping materials.
"I always wished I could find a way to help the troops, and then she came to my door, and I said, 'Here's my chance,' " said Steve Katzman, branch manager for Continental Carbonic Products.
Katzman said he likes to imagine the Soldiers' reactions when they open the packages of milk.
"The guys need so much, obviously," he said. "For something as simple as milk, you gotta believe their eyes pop open when they see it."
Kim Fuhrmann runs a Web site, RememberingTheirSacrifices.com, and serves on the board of Dear American Hero, a group based in Lakeland that hands out cards to Soldiers and veterans to thank them for their service.
"It's all about the Soldiers," said Richard Glasgow, executive director of Dear American Hero. "It's the simple things — like a nice cold glass of milk — that we take for granted, that they hold as precious."
"The milk that your husband gave me that day made the whole place disappear and made me feel great for days," Master Sgt. John Van Eps wrote to Kim Fuhrmann. "Like your husband, milk is one of the things I missed the most, and they allowed me to have my own half-gallon and drink it straight from the jug. It just made for a great day. You are by far one of the most special people that have done things to touch the hearts of a lot of Soldiers here."
Fuhrmann shipped eight gallons of milk Wednesday at the Airport Mail Center near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Her voice cracks when she talks about how much fresh milk means to the troops.
"I had no idea of the impact of what I was doing. It is a joy. It's a random act of kindness. It's hard not to get choked up about it," she said. "When you read all these e-mails, it's priceless.
"I wish every single American could see how just a simple thing can make a big difference."
TO DONATE
Kim Fuhrmann is raising money to help pay for packing and shipping milk to troops in Iraq. Checks should be made out to Fuhrmann and mailed to 3161 Cass Trail, Webster, MN 55088.
By Mary Divine
mdivine@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 01/07/2009 11:11:30 PM CST
Mary Divine can be reached at 651-228-5443.
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