West Virginia University employees and students can show their support for U.S. troops in Iraq by donating care package items at the Student Recreation Center beginning Tuesday, April 1.
Recreation Center staff will accept foodstuffs, toiletries, books and other items through Friday, April 25, at the facilitys front desk, said Pam Hagedorn, an administrative assistant coordinating the collection drive. Only new items will be accepted.
“As the states flagship university, we want to show our support for the troops serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom,”Hagedorn said.
As added incentive, the Recreation Center will allow students or employees who are members to bring a free guest if they donate five items on weekends (Friday-Sunday) during the drive, Hagedorn said. Employees who are not members may use the facility for free for the same donation on the same days, she added.
It costs $7 for non-members to use the center or for members to bring a guest.
Items collected during the drive will be turned over to the local American Red Cross chapter to ship to the troops, Hagedorn said. For security reasons, the Department of Defense is no longer accepting care packages from individuals other than family members, loved ones or close friends of military personnel.
The following care package items will be accepted:
Instant coffee
p. Gatorade
Hot chocolate and other drinks
Tea bags
Handi-snacks
Snack crackers
Candy that wont melt
Gum
Single-serve boxes of cereal
Kraft Easy Mac
Microwave popcorn
Beef jerky
Granola bars
Dried fruit
Chex Mix
Instant soup and individual
Oatmeal packets
Knee-high hose
Sunglasses
Small WVU logo items
Clorox wipes
Baby wipes
Razors
Travel-size non-aerosol shaving cream
Shampoo/conditioner
Soap/body wash
Deodorant
Lubricating eye drops
Lip balm
Sunblock
Band-Aids
Skin lotion
p. Dental floss
Talcum powder
Gold Bond Powder
Foot powder
Combs/brushes
Liquid waterless hand sanitizer
Breath mints/breath strips
Nail files
Toothpaste/toothbrushes
Stationary/pens/pencils/post cards
AT&T phone cards
Paperback books/magazines (no pornography)
Disposable cameras
Puzzles/yo-yos
Squirt guns
Frisbees
Small flashlights
AA and AAA batteries
Playing cards
Feminine-hygiene products
Q-Tips
Non-aerosol hair spray
Hair gel
Comic books
Bandanas
Non-aerosol bug spray
Board games
Arch-support insoles for shoes
White socks