Valentines For Troops Gearing Up For 2011

Valentines For Troops, a letter-writing project that began with one second grade class in 2005, has begun the 2011 campaign to collect names of military personnel serving overseas.

Last year, 2,200 students wrote more than 3,300 letters and cards expressing their appreciation for the service men and women serving the country. This year, participants will include students from Newtown’s four elementary schools, St Rose of Lima School, Reed Intermediate School, and Merry Hill Day Care. Schools from several neighboring towns have also expressed interest in participating in the project.

The project is expanding this year to include adults in the community who wish to write a letter. Several area houses of worship have signed on, including Trinity Episcopal, Christ the King Lutheran, Newtown United Methodist, Newtown Congregational, Faith at Newtown, and Congregation Adath Israel. Other groups involved with the project include the Connecticut National Guard Family Support Group in Hartford, Blue Star Mothers, and the local VFW.

Each year, a small cadre of volunteers starts anew in November to compile names and addresses of personnel who will be deployed during that winter. To have a letter sent to a friend or loved one, send the name and a complete APO address to Jennifer Peterson at jdmp7896@charter.net before December 1.

A kick-off celebration will be held at Reed Intermediate School the first week of January. Letters are then written and proofread. During the third week of January, the letters are packaged and shipped, allowing the postal service time to deliver them by Valentine’s Day to Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan and ships at sea.

In 2006, toothbrushes and hard candies were added to the boxes. Since then, residents of Newtown have donated personnel care items (no hotel sizes), DVDs, and batteries. Liquids and aerosols cannot be accepted as they require special handling. K-9 units serve overseas also, and dog biscuits and rawhide chews would be greatly appreciated by the troop, according to Valentines For Troops.

Valentines For Troops will be placing donation jars around town at area businesses to collect spare change to help with postage. This group is not 501(c)(3), and donations are not tax deductible.

Churches, scout troops, and civic organizations that would like to write letters, donate items, or help with the project can contact Donna Monteleone Randle at 203-364-9772 or ndrandle@charter.net.