Certificate of thanks from soldiers in Afghanistan
Last November, Lake Highlands Exchange Club members and members of Military Moms groups put together gift boxes containing non-perishable snacks, toiletries and other for troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It’s an annual thing now — participants and volunteers, young and old, from the neighborhood spread out all of the collected items on tables and assemble them into shipping boxes. Kids write letters to the soldiers and pack them in with the stuff.
About 120 boxes went out last year.
One battalion sent a thank you certificate a few months later:
For your outstanding support to the Stryke First Battalion — your generosity during the holiday season greatly improved morale among our soldiers. Your selfless service and patriotism is in keeping with the highest traditions of our nation and reflect great credit upon your organization. —Command Sergeant Major Carlos E. Esmurria and LTC. Dennis C. Smith.
Rhonda Russell, who founded Military Moms following her son’s deployment, said at the time, it’s important that the community understands how much their support means to the service men and women.
“For this brigade to send this certificate, our care packages had to have touched their hearts deeply in the desert of Afghanistan so far away from home. Remember the impact we are making in the lives of so many, whether here or across the world. The spirit of Lake Highlands is being felt far and wide because of all of you.”
Saturday — November 26 — the same organizations will host the third “Support The Troops” gift box assembly at the Knights of Columbus on Saturday morning following Thanksgiving from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
A special guest (hint: he has a flowing white beard and wears a velvety red suit everywhere) will be in attendance, so bring the little ones along. Everyone is invited — just buy a sack of items and bring them to the party and, organizers say, “Be prepared to feel good about what you have done.”
If you can’t make it to the event, bring your items to tomorrow’s Exchange Club meeting or drop them off at one of the community collection sites — Eat The World (Abrams and Royal), T. Hee Gifts (Walnut Hill and Audelia), LH Media (Skillman and Royal shopping center), or The Store in Lake Highlands (Northwest Highway and Ferndale). After the jump is a list of needed items.
A check payable to the club with a “Support the troops” memo will also be appreciated to help defray postage costs.
Snacks of all kinds
Jars of peanut butter
hot sauce or queso with chips
Buttered popcorn
Health bars
Canned power drinks
beef jerky
crackers of all kinds
hard candy or things that don’t melt
gum
powdered drinks
tea
cookies packed well
chips in cans
playing cards
games
books
DVD’s
puzzles
magazines
baby wipes
hand lotion
toiletries – toothpaste, brushes, shaving lotion, razors, soap, deodorant, shampoo and
conditioner, Chapstick, combs
batteries
pens/pencils/writing tablets
bandaids/first aid kits (small)
small battery operated fans are great during the summer
