Lions Seek Donations For Troops In Iraq

The Newtown Lions Club is holding another drive to help send “care packages” to members of the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion of Danbury who are on active duty in Iraq.

The Danbury unit plans to mail approximately 100 packages to Iraq during the week of February 15. Donations are needed by February 10 to allow sufficient time for transport and packaging.

The drop-off point for articles donated to this project is the food pantry located in the social services department in Town Hall South in Newtown, which is open weekdays from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Ann Piccini, director of social services, has agreed to allow temporary storage of donations from individuals who wish to participate in this project.

Members of the Lions Club will periodically gather the donated items and transport them to the Army Reserve Center in Danbury.

Two important considerations for the care packages are size and weight. Due to their mission, members of the 411th are stationed throughout Iraq, not in one city. This situation requires a large number of individual care packages, which makes postage expenses a real consideration.

Among the items that have been requested are Q-Tips, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, sunblock, Chap Stick, pipe cleaners; soap and washcloths (Johnson & Johnson makes soaps wrapped in washcloths; these are available in stores); wash towels, toothpicks, bandages (2 by 2 or 4 by 4 inches); antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin; baby powder; A&D ointment; black writing pens with clips; small notebooks, sunflower seeds, bed sheets and pillowcases; batteries (AAA to D); DVDs, games (Yatzee, cards, and other inventive things to occupy their time); nonperishable foods and anything that can be prepared with water such as instant coffee and powdered creamer; powdered Gatorade and Tang; crackers, Cheese Nips, cookies, beef jerky, plastic silverware; big and small zippered plastic food bags; individual boxes of laundry detergent, socks.

All questions concerning the drop off of items should be directed to Fred Stakel at 426-2336.

The Lions Club also will accept cash that will be used to purchase a variety of the items requested by the soldiers and to pay postage expenses. This use of cash will help ensure equal quantities of all items in each care package as well as reducing the postage expense burden for the families of the soldiers.

The food pantry will not accept cash donations. Cash donations should be sent to the Newtown Lions Club, c/o Frank Gardner, 6 Surrey Trail, Sandy Hook CT 06482.