Barber stoked to send stogies to the troops
Smoke that gasper, soldier. You deserve it. Vail barber Clay Carlton wants to send 10,000 cigars to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he wants to send that many every month.
"I figured they'd appreciate it," says Carlton. "I'm just trying to give them a taste of the good life in a place where it's pretty hard to find."
Carlton cuts hair in West Vail at Timberline Barbers and runs the new Palma Cigars shop at Larimer and 22nd streets. He learned how to roll his own stogies about 18 months ago and started sending his stash to Iraq in January after reading in Cigar Aficionadoabout a "cigar lounge bunker."
Aren't these men and women in enough danger without smoking cigars?
"The last thing they're worried about is cancer," says Carlton. "There has been no backlash, not one negative response."
Smoking and combat have been comrades for a long time. Maybe you remember the cigar chomping "Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos," of comic book fame. And at the end of the "The Phil Silvers Show" the sponsor would send cartons to the troops.
So enjoy the ropes.
More info, including how to donate, at
www.cigarstothetroops.com
