Supporting American Troops
Monday, October 26, 2009
Veterans groups in Greenhurst, NY, recently decided to reach out to troops serving overseas. AmVets Post 726, American Legion Post 149, VFW Post 53 and Vietnam Veterans of America launched a community fund drive and purchased food, clothing, stationery and phone cards to send to members of the military from the local area.
Once the items were purchased and recipient names and addresses gathered, the groups needed to ship the packages. So, they called on the local mailing expert — Postmaster Mary Beth Ecker.
Greenhurst, NY, Postmaster Mary Beth Ecker with AmVets Post 726 Commander Ron Cotton.
With Ecker's help, the vets completed the packaging and paperwork, and 39 boxes were on the way. "The veterans groups were pleased with the success of the collection, and I was excited to help them with Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate boxes and customs forms," said Ecker.
Now the veterans intend to send baked goods for the holidays.
In Markleysburg, PA, Officer in Charge Jodi McClain held a Support Our Troops event and invited local school children to write letters to service members.
"The Marclay Elementary School children wrote and drew pictures to send to soldiers," said McClain. "I cried when I read some of the letters."
In return, the students are now receiving thank you notes from many of the soldiers. "The school and the children are so happy to be hearing back from the troops," McClain said.
In Hamilton, OH, Wendy Wesley says she and her co-workers at Northgate Mall in Cincinnati are assembling 40 packages to send to her son and the men and women he is serving with in Iraq.
"They need and appreciate magazines, books, DVDs, beef jerky, hard candy, sports items like tennis balls and footballs, and toiletries including shampoo, soap and deodorant," Wesley said.
Want to show your support?
Dozens of website links are featured on http://troopssupport.com/. Whether it's a letter, a box of cookies or a monetary donation, there are so many ways to let the troops serving our nation, so far away from home, know just how much we appreciate what they are doing.
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Posted: November 18, 2009 9:28 AM
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