Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1980 is sponsoring a Holiday Fund Drive to provide packages from home to service men and women from this area.
Ralph Tebbetts, who is in charge of the drive, said that goods will be collected through through Nov. 30, and will be boxed and mailed off by Dec. 4.
Tebbetts was in charge of a similar drive last year, when volunteers gathered at Eagles Aerie 2587 and packed 702 pounds of food and merchandise into 38 boxes to send to Iraq and Afghanistan. More than $1,500 also had been raised to pay for shipping costs, and after postage for the 38 boxes used up slightly more than $1,000, organizers used the excess funds to buy more goods to pack and send overseas.
Sponsors recommend sending items that service men and women cannot purchase at a PX.
“We want to send them things from home,” Tebbetts said.
He suggested cookies, candies, beef jerky, AA and AAA batteries, DVD players, iPods, homemade goods, boxed macaroni and cheese, canned tuna or chicken, salad dressing, instant soups, spices, paperback books, phone cards, tea and powdered drink mixes, individually packaged condiments, radios and portable CD players, toys such as Frisbees and yo-yos, boxes of snack cakes, bubble gum, hand-held games and similar items.
Aerosol cans, chocolate and liquids cannot be accepted for shipping, Tebbetts said.
Tebbetts said the drop points for donations will be at: Cooper Tire, 611 Prairie St.; Mel’s Tires, 915 Graham St.; Dave’s Place in Strong City; Midas Touch Golden Tans, 2918 W. Highway 50; Nature’s Paradise Health Food Store, 1511 W. Sixth Ave., Bad Ol’ Bern’s, 20 Commercial St.; The Noose, 323 Commercial St.; and the VFW Post home, 932 Graphic Arts Road.
SC Dixon of Dixon Photography designed the flyers for the project, Groh Printing donated boxes and packaging, and Navrat’s Office Products produced the flyers at no cost, Tebbetts said. Booths to collect donations will be set up at Price Chopper from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and Walmart, with a date to be announced later.
The group also encourages area school children to write cards and messages to the service men and women, to include in the box shipments.
People who want to make donations to defray shipping costs need to make checks or money orders payable to the VFW Post 1980, with a note “fund drive” on the check. Tebbetts said a special account has been established for the Care Package drive.
Tebbetts will be available to talk to classes about military service and the project. Arrangements can be made by calling him at 757-5633.
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Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on October 27, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a great idea to remind students of ALL ages that there is a war going on on two fronts and American servicemen and women are overseas fighting.
A homemade Christmas card or letter will surely brighten their day.
Keep Ralph busy going from class to class with his presentation.
A table will be set up in front of the Town Royal to accept donations during the Veterans Day Parade on Nov.11th.
Emporia has always come through when called to donate, let's make this one a record breaker!
Steve
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