The Emporia Gazette

February 12, 2012

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Kansas soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive “care packages” this Christmas season through a project underway at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 2587 in Emporia.

Ralph Tebbetts, an organizer of the project, said that the project began formally last week, after the group had gathered additional financial sponsors and designed and produced promotional materials.

“We’re wanting to stuff boxes,” Tebbetts said. “What we want is the goodies, and like the flyer says, ‘What do you want to send?’”

All of the boxes will be sent only to Kansas troops, with Emporia-area servicemen at the top of the list to receive them.

Tebbetts said that delivery of care packages is always a treat for men and women serving in the military overseas.

“I have first-hand knowledge of what it’s like, being in a war zone, and how depressing it is, particularly during the holiday season,” Tebbetts said. “Then you get a care package from home and it’s such a morale booster. It’s such a blessing.”

All sorts of treats will be accepted for the packages, with snack foods and items that give the recipient an opportunity for fun are preferred over soaps, deodorants and other basic necessities.

“These are everyday necessities that these guys over there can go the PX and buy,” Tebbetts said. “It’s all the great stuff, like the beef jerky, granola bars, gummy bears, portable handheld electronic games — and you can never have enough double A or triple A batteries.”

Other items suggested include stress balls, yo-yos, Frisbees, boxes of snack cakes, bubble gum, Rice Krispie treats, boxed macaroni and cheese, canned tuna or chicken, salad dressing, instant soups, spices, tea and other powdered drink mixes, individually packaged condiments, squirt guns, paperback books, phone cards, jump ropes, radio and portable CD players, mini fans and birthday decorations. A full list of suggestions can be seen online at www.operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html.

It is recommended not to send chocolate, because it melts, Tebbetts said, and “of course no liquor or pornographic material. That’s a big military no-no.”

The Eagles also have asked the Emporia school district to have students provide cheerful notes and drawings to add to the care packages.

“When I got mine when I was over there, we got cards and letters from elementary kids and a lot of us sent cards and letters back to the kids,” he said.

The deadline for donations is Nov. 28, to allow Eagles members time to sort and assemble boxes to send on their 10- to 15-day trip to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Area businesses and organizations have contributed to the shipping fund or donated services to the care package project. They are: Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, Midas Touch Golden Tan Salon, D&T Auto Sales, CoreFirst Bank, ESB Financial, Town Royal, Navrat’s, SC Dixon, Monarch Tattoos, the American Legion and Dave’s Place in Strong City,

Donations of items for the project will be accepted daily at the Eagles Club, 1130 E. Ninth Ave., and the U.S. Army recruiting office in the Flinthills Mall. A concerted drive for donations from the public will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Walmart on Sunday, Nov. 16. Both merchandise and money will be accepted.

For information, call the aerie, 342-1553, or Tebbetts, 757-5633.