Feb 3, 2004

How you can help our soldiers
fighting overseas

There are a number of ways to offer care and comfort to our troops fighting overseas.

One of these is to start a letter writing campaign. This can be an activity for schools, churches and organizations, or it can just be from one family or one person. Getting mail from home can be the highlight of a soldier’s day! Young children draw the best pictures, and they are really appreciated. Be sure to add a name and address so our troops can enjoy writing letters in return. 

Involve your children and grandchildren. Ask them to conduct a scavenger hunt through the house, using the shopping list below as a guide. This is a great rainy day activity. Collect unused shampoo and conditioner, lotion, soaps, sewing kits, and other items from hotels and samples from drug stores, Avon, newspapers and magazines. These are the perfect size for care packages, and everyone seems to have a few in their homes! Hotels may also donate some if you ask. Casinos will also donate playing cards, and free calendars are always needed.

Ask your dentist for donations of toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste. Call your doctor/dermatologist and skin care clinic for samples of over the counter medications, bandages and skin products. Collect condiment packs from restaurants or airplanes containing soy sauce, catsup, mustard, salt and pepper and others to make those MREs a bit tastier. Pack these in a Ziploc bag to prevent a mess in case they accidentally open! 

Collect unused picture address labels and free greeting cards sent by charities. The pictures can be cut from the address labels (especially great when they misspell your name!) and sent in stationery packets for the troops to use as stickers on mail home. Your local card shop and drug store may also donate extra greeting card envelopes.
Businesses that are changing their name are likely to donate note pads, pens and other miscellaneous writing supplies with their old logo. Last year’s trade show goodies are great, too. 
Don’t forget about donations. Your dollars can help with shipping costs and packaging materials. The largest expense for this volunteer organization is shipping. Checks should be made payable to Red Cross Operation Care and Comfort.

Listed below are supplies our troops currently need.

- Personal and hygiene items—hotel and sample sizes are best: unscented baby wipes or cleansing wipes, individual hand wipes, liquid hand sanitizer, razors, non aerosol shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, unscented soap, unscented deodorant, eye drops, lip balm, sunblock, SPF 30 and up, combs and brushes, Q-tips, mouth wash, tooth brushes, dental floss, flea collars (to wear around boots), unscented non aerosol bug repellent, bandanas, hair bands and barrettes, terry cloth wash cloths, hand and body lotion, foot powder, baby powder, feminine hygiene products , sanitary napkins, black sSocks (tube socks work for men and women),T-shirts, briefs, panties, band aids, first aid products, mole skin Ziploc bags (gallon and quart size, for packaging) and two-ply toilet paper.

- Miscellaneous items include postage stamps, prepaid phone cards, stationery, note cards, envelopes, blank greeting cards, post cards, stickers, pens and unsharpened pencils, Sharpie markers, batteries—especially AA, and disposable cameras.

- Leisure items such as videos, DVDs, CDs, cassettes, cross word puzzle books, word games, paperback books (recent best selling mysteries, action, drama and science fiction, comic books) also are welcomed, as are Hacky Sacks, Frisbees, foot balls, handheld games, stress relief toys, playing cards, dice, cribbage, Yahtzee and travel games such as chess, checkers and parcheesi. 

- Non-perishable food items. When contributing food items, please select items that do not spoil quickly or melt. Individually packaged food items and snack sized bags of chips or cookies are preferred. Also requested are individually wrapped hard candies, dry cereal, Chex mix, Cracker Jacks, granola bars, Power, Clif, and Energy bars, dried or canned fruit (pop top cans), beef or turkey jerky, instant soup and/or noodles, canned soup and/or chili in pop top cans, canned meats in pop top cans (but no pork.), fast food condiments, spices, gum and mints, nuts, seeds, instant coffee, tea bags, powdered Gatorade, Crystal Lite, Kool Aid, hot chocolate, cider mix, sugar and sweetener packets, cream packets, instant oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, grits, Kraft Easy Macaroni,Pop Tarts, breakfast bars, microwave popcorn, chips, pretzels (Pringle type containers best), cookies and crackers.