CEDAR FALLS - When Diana Hoffman of Standard Golf offered Lt. Col. Wayne Tassler whatever supplies his Army unit wanted to equip a driving range at Camp Victory in Iraq, Hoffman couldn't believe her eyes when she read his reply.

Some tee towels, rubber tees and range flags - if it's not too much trouble, the boys from Psychological Operations Task Force 10 said.

"They're very humble people," said Hoffman, who has worked for nine years as a customer service representative at Standard Golf.

Tassler also made one other special request: A sign that read, "Keep carts 30 yards from greens."

"Ha Ha. I wish we had greens out here," he wrote to Hoffman in an e-mail.

Standard Golf not only fulfilled their request, they threw in a sign that read "After play, please rake sand," and about a dozen oversized boxes of golf equipment that shipped out on Friday.

The Cedar Falls company didn't do it alone. They received a generous assist from their supplier, Wisconsin-based Hornung's Golf Products, which provided golf clubs, balls, head covers, putting greens, mats and tees.

"We called the people at Hornung's golf supply and asked about a discount," said Standard Golf vice president Matt Hurley. "They called about 10 minutes later and said, 'How about anything you want free?'"

Hoffman was first contacted by Tassler's father in May about some replacement parts for a ball washer that had broken down. That's when Hoffman knew this was an opportunity to do more.

"All through 9/11, watching all the troops go out, you watch in awe, and this gives you an opportunity to do something," Hoffman said. "It just goes to show the average Joe can do something."

While making arrangements to send the packages to Iraq, Hoffman and Tassler have struck up a friendship through e-mail. When Hoffman talked to Tassler - from Windom, Minn., a small town about 30 miles from the Iowa border - something in Hoffman's voice triggered memories of home.

"He said it's always great to hear a friendly, Midwestern voice," Hoffman said.

Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.