By Karen Martin
Staff reporter
kamartin@elkintribune.com


The students of East Wilkes Middle School have been busy collecting supplies to send to the serviceman in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the fifth year the students have brought in donations and packed flat rate postal boxes with anything and everything they could fit into the box.

"We all got together and listened to songs about the wars and wrote letters to the soldiers," Anna Reeves, an eighth-grader said. "We made posters to place around the school asking all the students to participate in the program by donating items for the goody boxes."

"We want to support our troops," Courtney Wagoner, another eighth-grader said. "We read articles about the troops and their service to our country and learned how to fold a Betsy Ross star, and the flag."

Linda Swaim, an eighth-grade teacher at East Wilkes Middle started the program four years ago when her son was sent to Iraq. After her son's departure, she brought the idea to the teaching staff of the school and asked for their opinion.

The eighth-grade teachers took two days and rotated students through stations in the classroom for them to write letters to businesses asking for donations and doing a history.

Participation was not limited to only the eighth grade. Sixth-graders also wrote letters to the servicemen and women to include in the boxes.

"We have sent 80 - 90 boxes per year for the past four years," Swaim said. "This year we got the names of military personnel from Fort Bragg to send the boxes to. The students have put a lot of effort into collecting items they believe the soldiers would enjoy and need."

Swaim continued to add that the school will continue to collect items throughout the remainder of the year so that they will be able to ship again soon. The students need donations of money to ship the flat rate postal boxes also. The boxes cost approximately $10 to ship. Another item needed include resealable plastic bags to enclose items that could possibly burst in transit.

Items needed for the boxes are anything you can pack in an approximate 9 x 12 x 8 box. Shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, combs, deodorant, medicated powders, wet wipes in carrying cases and bulk for temporary cleaning, mouthwash, and dental floss.

Food items such as Vienna sausages, saltine crackers, small picnic size squeeze bottles of mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup are welcome condiments. Pork and beans, soups, both dry and heat and serve varieties, tuna fish, canned chicken and ham, individual packs of cookies and snack crackers, Pop Tarts, granola bars, box drinks, single drink flavor packets, bags of hard candies, chili beans, packets of flavored noodles, jerky sticks and flat jerky, trail mix, dried fruits and packets and cans of nuts are all very welcome items.

Other items soldiers welcome are gloves, frisbees, word search and crossword puzzle books. Paperback novels, magazines, writing supplies (such as paper and envelopes), pens, other useful items might also include decks of playing cards, footballs, checker boards, travel size games, lip balm, toboggans and scarves.

With winter setting in, hand warmer packets would be nice in any soldiers pocket, Swaim said.

"We had responses from the soldiers saying they loved the travel sized hand sanitizers because they could carry them in their pockets," Swaim said. "Last year, CVS donated a large case of them. We would really appreciate a donation like that again.

"It is very important for our soldiers to know how much we appreciate them," she said. "The students have learned what the soldiers are up against and the elements in which they live and work to protect the United States. I'm very proud of their participation in this project."

For the students, what soldiers go through was an eye-opener.

"We don't think about the soldiers not being able to go to the refrigerator and choose something to eat," Samuel Cheek, an eighth-grader said. "I think everyone should write letters of gratitude and send to our soldiers."

Want to give?


This batch of supply boxes will soon be sent out, but Swaim and the students said there's still time to pack more if you would like to donate now and they can always start an additional shipment.

Contact Linda Swaim at 928-9800 or drop off supplies at East Wilkes Middle School on Macedonia Church Road.