Women Marines sending Valentine care packages – The Macomb Daily News

Women Marines sending Valentine care packages

Deployed troops will get Valentine care packages “From Romeo with Love” with the help of the local unit of women Marines.

“The Women Marines Association will collect the packages and prepare them for shipping. It’s that easy. This will be one of our biggest packings, we hope,” Mary Merritt said. “Tens of thousands of American service members are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time.”

Romeo Downtown Development Authority coordinator Janine Saputo and Romeo Postmaster Alex Stubbs explained how the program works.

The Romeo Downtown Development Authority, the Romeo Merchants, Restaurants and Professionals Association, and the U.S. Postal Service invite people to pick up a wish list and a Military Flat Rate Priority Mail shipping box from the Romeo Post Office or a downtown Romeo merchant.

Then bring the box to the DDA Welcome Center at 118 S. Main Street during the Romeo Romantic Days and Chocolate Festival in downtown Romeo on Feb. 12 and 13.

“We are asking you to treat a soldier this Valentine’s Day with some of the comforts of home,” Saputo said. “Your care package will lift morale and put a smile on the faces of servicemen and servicewomen deployed overseas.”

Packages may be dropped off at the Masonic Temple at 231 N. Main Street between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Feb.12 and between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The WMA Operation Caring Friends Web site has a list of some of the items to collect at http://www.jocokyroots.com/OCFriends.htm. It includes nonperishable foods and mixable drinks, personal care products and wipes, reading and writing materials, boxed greeting cards, disposable cameras, games and batteries, sunglasses, DVDs and holiday decorations.

“Our group also collects the Campbell Soup labels, BoxTops for Education and grocery coupons,” Merritt said. “We would be more than happy to take them and to make sure that they are getting to where they need to go.”

Soup labels are forwarded to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, Mich. The residential village has collected so many over the years that it has been able to purchase minivans to transport its children to school and activities.

Send items to Merritt’s attention at: WMA Motor City MI-2, P.O. Box 590, Romeo MI 48065.

“If people would like to donate for the postage, that would be great too. They can make a check (payable) to WMA Motor City,” Merritt said.

 

Posted via web from Women Marines on the web