Care Packages for Deployed Active Duty Military Personnel

Submitted by Annie Anderson

Around 200,000 active duty military personnel from all branches of service are deployed overseas to fight wars in foreign countries like Afghanistan. Sending care packages over to the soldiers is an easy way to make their deployments a little easier. I am running a military care package collection drive and 2 packing events to help the soldiers overseas fighting the wars.

My family is a military family; my grandfather and both parents are Navy veterans and my cousin is currently in the Army, so supporting the military has always been a part of my life.

If you would like to donate, collection boxes are in the police station lobby 24/7, and during regular hours at the high school main office and at Town Center.

The boxes are in place through April 30, and a list of suggested items is below.

If you would like to help out with the actual packing of the boxes, please email  [email protected]. The packing will take place on May 11 (Friday 3-7 p.m.) and May 12 (Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.).

Items Needed:

• Baby wipes
• Travel size toiletries
• Individually wrapped food items (i.e. packaged nuts, dried fruit, packaged cookies, crackers, beef jerky, drink mixes like lemonade or iced tea, instant VIA coffee, hot chocolate packets, tuna fish, beef slim jims, etc.)
• Individual chip bags (or cans such as Pringles)
• Breakfast bars
• Energy bars/granola bars
• Hand/foot warmers
• Batteries (AA/AAA)
• Coloring books
• Crayons
• Puzzle books (i.e. crossword, word search, magazines, etc.)
• Deck of cards

Items that should NOT be included:

• Chocolate or anything that will melt during transportation
• Overtly religious materials
• Items that may be considered lewd
• Pork products – many countries do not allow pork products to be shipped in
• Fresh fruit
• Aerosol cans
• Flammable materials
• Lottery tickets
• Alcohol/drug paraphernalia
• Live plants or seeds