Approximately 80 AmeriCorps members throughout the state will be participating in Operation Remembrance, a project to support troops as part of the 9/11 National Day of Service.
The LifeBridge AmeriCorps and LifeBridge Vet Corps members will host donation drives to collect items for care packages to be sent to military troops serving in Afghanistan. The members are hoping to assemble 1,000 care packages and 500 care packages for military dogs.
“This is something everyone can take part in,” Betsy Southall, LifeBridge AmeriCorps program director, said. “It’s wonderful to see 80 national service members working together to support and thank our troops.”
The donation drive will kick off on September 11 for the 9/11 National Day of Service. Members will collect donations through Oct. 14. Care packages will be assembled and distributed as part of Make a Difference Day on October 27.
Collection containers will be located at drop-off centers at participating businesses. Drop-off centers will be in Kanawha, Putnam, Clay and Boone Counties.
Suggested donations include toiletries (no hotel samples), shaving cream (in tubes, not cans), nail clippers and nail files, Q-tips, chap stick, eye drops, nasal spray, baby wipes, tissues (travel size), wool or cotton socks (in black, olive green, and white only), sun block and Aloe Vera gel, combs, hair brushes, bobby pins (in original packaging), feminine hygiene products, disposable foot and hand warmers, shoe insole cushions, beef jerky and Slim Jims, packaged snack foods (no canned foods), powder drink mix (Gatorade, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light), vitamins (preferably multi-vitamins), protein bars, cough drops, bug spray (no aerosol), games, batteries (no lithium), 35mm disposable cameras, pens and pencils, stationary and envelopes, and telephone calling cards.
Suggested donations for canine care packages include dog treats, flea shampoo, flea collars and dog toys.
Individuals are asked to avoid donating CDs, DVDs, VHS or cassettes, aerosol cans, canned foods, candles, lighters, or matches, glass bottles or glass jars, home baked goods, hotel samples and used or stained clothing or linens.
The 9/11 Day of Service was founded by the MyGoodDeed organization and is a movement to observe September 11 every year as a day of charitable service and doing good deeds. The service day was initiated soon after September 11, 2001 to provide a positive way to remember and pay tribute to the 9/11 victims, honor those that rose in service in response to the attacks, and remind people of the importance of working more closely together to improve the world. Today millions participate annually by taking time out on 9/11 to help others in need, in their own way.
For more information about the Operation Remembrance service project and the location of drop-off centers, contact by email bsouthall@unitedwaycwv.org.
LifeBridge AmeriCorps and LifeBridge Vet Corps are both national service programs of the United Way of Central West Virginia. The programs are funded in part by a grant from Volunteer West Virginia, the state’s Commission for National and Community Service. AmeriCorps engages West Virginians in solving community-identified issues through service. Members of this national service program meet the state’s critical needs in the focus areas of disaster services, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, opportunity, and veterans and military families.
