MEGAN LEE Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, February 17, 2008 12:00 am
Members of Trinity Lutheran Church diligently stuffed care packages for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan Saturday morning.
The packages contained necessary toiletries like shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and lotion; snacks including fruit roll-ups and small bags of peanuts; drink mixes and different sizes of sealed bags.
"Our church members donated quite a bit of stuff," said Beverly Marcelli, youth director at Trinity Lutheran. "Some of them donated money, and what we were in need of after we went through what products we already had was bought with that."
Each care package also included a large bag full of different kinds of candy - enough to last several months, if not for an entire stay overseas.
"The people who donated items - there are many," Marcelli said. "I'd say over 100 people donated, easily."
Trinity Lutheran got the idea to create these care packages from a church in Riverton, which asked for help from other churches. A pastor at the Riverton church, also a chaplain, was deployed to Afghanistan, and members of that church thought it was an opportunity to spread the kindness of Wyoming to troops in the Middle East.
"They asked, and we thought it was a great idea," Marcelli said, "so we jumped in and did it too."
The Casper church has now put over 300 volunteer hours into organizing and making care packages. Kits put together by Trinity Lutheran's youth group and ladies' group will be delivered to over 100 troops.
"The kids really worked hard," said Harriett Elliott, a member of the ladies' group. "They've worked well together to do this."