Amanda Johnson Havre Daily News ajohnson@havredailynews.com
The local United Way and Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods have joined to offer pre-built care packages that can be purchased and sent to the recently deployed National Guard troops and others already serving. The packages are available starting today at Gary & Leo's through the month of February. "In the care package we have energy drink mix, cereal snack bars, dried soups, sunflower seeds, cheese and crackers, microwave meals, macaroni and cheese and a couple of personal items," said Tracy Job, manager of Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods. "United Way is going to box them all up and take care of the mailing. The mailing cost is included in the price of the package. They're taking the time to put them all together. It's kind of a neat idea. It's something they're doing, and we're trying to help them get as many going over there as we can." The idea in providing the care package program is to make it simple for folks to support the local troops. "Lorraine (Verploegen, executive director of Havre-Hill County United Way) is gathering a lot of names of local people that are over there," Job said. "She has put together a list of things based upon her conversations with parents of troops over there (over seas) of things they like to see, things that would be appealing or helpful. We went off of that list. It's just basic needs that people have. We're trying to make it simple and easy for folks that want to contribute. We should have them up and going here in the store tomorrow. I think we decided we're going to run it through February. Hopefully we'll get lots of care packages on their way over there," said Job. "We need people to contact me with names and addresses of soldiers serving," said Verploegen "Because of the privacy laws I can't get names and addresses from the military." Care packages can be purchased at Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods. Packages will then be sent to the troops over seas. People who have a soldier serving over seas that would like a package can call Lorraine Verploegen at 265-6561.
