Thurmont
mailing support for its troops
BY JAMES RADA JR.
Thurmont News Editor
THURMONT,
Md. – Out of sight is not out of mind for U.S. servicemen
and women with connections to Thurmont. Thurmont’s Military
Support Group is preparing two mailings to send holiday cheer
to the service persons either from Thurmont or who have connections
to a Thurmont resident. The group will be mailing packages out
around the first of November and December.
Donna
Voellinger, a member of the group, said, they have mailed
more than 200 packages in three years. They want that number
to go much higher.
“We
had seven or eight names last mailing,” Voellinger said.
“I’ve gotten a couple more since then, but we’re
looking for the names of more people. We could also use monetary
and supply support.”
The group
has been sending packages to military personnel since 2003.
The packages include items like phone cards, sunscreen, toiletries,
personal hygiene items and even flea collars that soldiers
can wear around their ankles to ward off sand fleas.
“One
thing they really enjoy is snacks and gum,” Voellinger
said. “What we’d love to have is someone step
forward to get us some current CDs.”
The packages
have also included letters of support from townspeople and
students and even a picture of a large group of Thurmontonians
in front of the gazebo in Memorial Park holding up a sign
that reads: “Thurmont supports our troops.”
The packages
have been well received. The group has a stack of letters
from appreciative servicemen and women. Last month, Sgt. Tom
Garcia came to a town meeting to stand up and thank the town
for its support and packages.
Matthew
Bollinger wrote to the group, “The items in the care
package were needed. They are hard to get while underway on
a ship for more than 120 days. It was also a great morale
[boost] for my co-workers and I. … It makes me proud
to say that I am from the Town of Thurmont.”
Delia
Ana Villa wrote, “I never dreamed that by me becoming
a [resident] of Thurmont that I would be receiving heart felt
letters and packages that would fill my day with joy.”
Thurmont
Commissioner Bill Blakeslee started the group before he became
a commissioner. He got the idea, during the course of his
work, when he visited a company that was collecting items
to send to servicemen and women.
“This
is a way for us to let our local military personnel know that
we’re thinking of them,” Blakeslee said.
If you would like to participate, contact Blakeslee at the
Thurmont Town Office at (301) 271-7313.
