Treats for the troops

Sept. 17, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

WASILLA - A project to send boxes of goodies to every Alaskan serving in the military in Iraq gets underway this afternoon, and the public is invited to help.

AmVets Post 11 wants to put together the first 50 boxes today, with the goal of shipping 350 boxes in early November, said Dave Norman, finance officer for the Sons of the AmVets and coordinator of the Never Forget project.

&#8220This is our first packing and planning session to get boxes to everyone in the Alaska National Guard at Camp Shelby,” Norman said. &#8220About five of them may be Valley boys.”

The plan is to have Alaskans in Iraq receive the boxes around Thanksgiving.

All the items in the boxes will be donated by local businesses, said Mark Ewing, commander of the Sons of the AmVets.

&#8220We want to raise public awareness and offer a venue for people to help out,” Ewing said.

Ewing and Norman said, if they have individual addresses for local service men and women, they can get the care packages routed to them

personally.

&#8220So anyone with a son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter can get boxes to them individually,” Ewing said.

Some of the things soldiers have a hard time getting, and like to have, include foot powder, freezer pops, unsalted peanuts in the shell and individual tea packets, the men said.

Another thing Ewing wants to send are pairs of children's socks stuffed with hard candy for the troops to hand out to Iraqi children.

&#8220We want to show that we're not barbarians,” he said.

Other items the Sons of AmVets want to put into the 4-inch deep boxes include jerky and smoked salmon.

&#8220We want to send stuff they need and can't get,” Ewing said.

People are welcome to stop by the post on South Herman Road to drop off items or help pack boxes, the organizers said.

The National Guard also will be helping with the project, as will John and Susan Troutner, with the Valley Cruisers, Norman said.

People who want to help can contact Norman at 841-0906, e-mail Ewing at mewing@mtaonline.net, or send items to the AmVets Post 11 at 951 S. Hermon Road, Wasilla, AK., 99654.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.