Last week was a very welcome surprise to us all. It put a big dent into the tacmed fundraiser and we wanted to thank you and possibly close out that tacmed campaign.

So far you've funded UFL and Protect A Volunteer's in-country stashes, for those times when a team needs 20 CATs and can't wait; 100 CATs for the 125th; IFAK refills for an SOF team called Black Talon; and $5K worth of tacmed for some teams who have been going into battle without enough tourniquets for every guy to carry one. We still have a request for $2900 in tacmed from the 17th SOF and $2500 in tacmed for a team with the 60th. Hence the goal of this week's raffle: $5500.

If we hit it, any excess will be used to buy yet more tacmed.

We hope you like what we have for you this week. UFL_Arcaist has pulled some awesome stuff for you.

And, just like last week, if you want to make Robin's August tacmed delivery even more painful for her, you are welcome to contribute directly here.

Updates

We had a rocky update this week. I'll let Arcaist fill you in himself:

Remember that you bought the 125th Heavy Mechanized Drone a Matrice 4E? Well, that drone made it into "legendary" status, as we can tell now. Recently, a position of the 125th got attacked, which resulted in severe damage, and unfortunately, also in 200/300. [killed/wounded -Scott]

Our drone was sitting in her box on the driver seat of that yellow van you see in this picture during the attack. It didn't receive a single scratch, while the van itself is a total loss, pierced by several hundred pieces of shrapnel.

Our contact just had it picked up from Nova Poshta the day prior of that attack, the drone didn´t even do a test flight before.
The confirmation picture of this drone was only made after they dragged the suitcase out of the wrecked van...
So here it is: the drone that lived...

We also received a "thank you" for a powerbank from Typhoon, one of the units shafted by the scammer.

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade received your delivery of needful things.

$2 Tender Tuesday

The $2 pack this week comes to you from the 42nd Brigade and its Perun Unmanned Battalion. This week's pack features a mug, a large-ish t-shirt and two rubberized patches from the 42nd and Perun. 

$5 pack

The Edelweiss battalion of the 10th Brigade signed a flag and sent a patch. Plus, our grateful contact with the 125th (see the drone story above) bought you a metal plane from the Kyiv airport and sent their patch, notebook, and pen. We also threw in a couple 2025 calendars from the 10th, as well; they may be outdated, but they're still hella cool.

$10 42nd pack

This is one of the biggest freaking packs I can remember, sent to you from a grateful 42nd. They signed not one, but two flags! The first flag, notebook, and pen set feature the Perun Unmanned Battalion's logo. The 42nd Brigade's logo adorns the second flag, a podyaka (thank-you plaque), metal mug, thermos, shopper, and absolutely awesome notebook.

In closing:

The story of the drone made me think about hope. Hope flows, like air or water. It ebbs and rises, flowing in torrents and drying up to a trickle.

Ukrainians themselves hold out hope for the future, but they also provide many of us with hope that not all good is gone in these horrible times. Not only that, you also provide hope to the defenders of Ukraine with every delivery of gear, supplies, or even candy to those defending their homeland.

You all enable that flow of hope, and even if you never hear a personal thank you from the defenders you support, you need to know that the sincere appreciation is there.

I found a poem by Lesya Ukrainka from 1890 that brought tears to my eyes. Here are some of my favorite passages:

...

No, I want to smile through tears and weeping.,
Sing my songs where evil holds its sway,
Hopeless, a steadfast hope forever keeping,
I want to live! You thoughts of grief, away!

On poor sad fallow land unused to tilling
I'll sow blossoms, brilliant in hue,
I'll sow blossoms where the frost lies, chilling,
I'll pour bitter tears on them as due.

And those burning tears shall melt, dissolving
All that mighty crust of ice away.
Maybe blossoms will come up, unfolding
Singing springtime too for me, some day.

...

Yes, I'll smile, indeed, through tears and weeping
Sing my songs where evil holds its sway,
Hopeless, a steadfast hope forever keeping,
I shall live! You thoughts of grief, away!    

 -Scott

Don't forget:

Givebutter may limit ticket purchases to 10 at a time, but as many of you know, you can always buy additional ticket packs without limit.

UFL has amazing art here if you haven't seen it yet!

And please note that although the event description mentions a livestream, there will be none. And while we do deeply appreciate those of you who choose to donate as well as buying raffle tickets, we want to make it clear that donations are not required to enter the raffle. 

Get your tickets here. Good luck!