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Sending a bit of home to soldiers
To help:
Food:
beef jerky, Slim Jims, ramen noodles, instant oatmeal, peanut butter, jelly, trail mixes, Chex mix, nuts, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, cereal bars, protein bars, microwave popcorn, canned fruit, chips in containers, snack cups, gum, crackers, salsa, cheese spread, candy bars, hard candy, hot chocolate/instant coffee, powder drink mix
Toiletries:
Sunscreen, lip balm, lotion, insect repellent (no aerosol), hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, baby wipes (closeable), shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial soap, deodorant, disposable razors, shave gel or cream, aftershave, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, body powder, foot powder, dental floss, Advil or Tylenol, antacids, nasal spray, cold medicine, cough drops, sinus medicine, eye drops, cotton swabs, cotton balls, facial tissue, nail files, nail clippers, foot soaks, facial masks and feminine hygiene products
Miscellaneous:
iTunes Gift cards, AAFES gift cards, phone cards (international), bath towels/washcloths, twin size sheets, blankets, word book puzzles, and cards.
Supplies or donations can be mailed or dropped off at:
Lima Armory
E Company 237th
Attn: FRG
855 S. Collett St.
Lima, OH 45804
Checks may be made to Friends of Echo Company
Email echo.co.237.bsb.frg@gmail.com for information.
LIMA — Barb Kline just wants to make sure her kids, and a few hundred others, have what they need.
“I have a son and a daughter in Afghanistan,” she said Saturday as she boxed up care packages for soldiers. “I just want to make sure my kids are taken care of, and I want to make sure that everyone there has everything they need.”
Her children, Spc. Jeremy Kline, 22, and Spc. Christa Kline, 21, are drivers for E Company, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment. About 105 soldiers are starting a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan. Along with about 75 soldiers of A Company, Special Troops Battalion, based in St. Marys, they will join soldiers from the Ohio Army National Guard 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to total about 1,475 soldiers deploying for Operation Enduring Freedom.
Kline led a group of volunteers at the National Guard Armory on Collett Street as they filled about 40 boxes with supplies. Ten boxes of blankets and sheets already had been sent out.
Like many things in combat, sheets do double duty.
“They don't have much privacy, so they use sheets,” the Delphos mother said. “They may need two sheets, one for the bed and one for a wall.”
When asked what else the effort needs, her first answer was money. It costs money to ship the supplies and there are always things they need to buy — things like tampons and other feminine products.
“They are hard to ask for, but we need them,” she said.
Other items high on the list are zip-close bags, soap, cotton swabs and baby wipes.
She has received donations from other parents, individuals, Husky Energy and its contractors, the Tom Ahl Dealerships, churches and schools.
“Kids can draw pictures or write letters, depending on their age,” Kline said. “I just want them to have a piece of home.”
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