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DEL.ICIO.USSoldiers’ charity sends ‘the basics’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Everybody’s in a good mood, despite having to bump into, side-step and walk around each other.
The upbeat atmosphere is understandable, though. When you do something to help others, you can’t help but feel good, and the Soldier’s Connection has been at it since the start of the Iraq war.
The charity was started in the garage of Jean Adcock’s home in Covington. When she worked as warehouse manager at Fort Gillem, wartime veterans shared stories about going without basics like soap and deodorant.
“I made a vow that if we ever go to war again, I was going to do something to help the troops,” the retiree told me. “When I started this, it was just me and two other ladies from American Legion [Post No. 233]. We started in the garage, then moved to a basement. We got so big the post was nice enough to let us use some space.”
Every other Monday, volunteers meet at the Loganville post to stock care packages bound for U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. The boxes, some for men, some for women, contain snacks, soap, deodorant, phone cards, magazines and such.
When I visited Monday, Anitia Owens showed me the nonprofit’s records. Last year, when the group sorted and packed weekly, it shipped 212,000 items. They now sort and pack every other week, which gives them more time to restock.
“Every dollar goes to the soldiers,” said Owens of Loganville.
Donations come from the usual means - churches, organizations, everyday people. The charity sells T-shirts, magnets and hats and occasionally sets up booths outside discount stores. Volunteers give shoppers a list of needed items and ask them to either make a purchase or donate money.
Bobby Boss, the post commander, has nothing but praise for the Soldier’s Connection.
“It’s one of the greatest projects we’ve had in years,” he said. “And it keeps getting bigger and bigger. Donors see the need.”
Adcock agreed, saying donors are touched by the cause. Many supporters have relatives serving or know somebody who’s in. Volunteer Sandy Wittenmyer’s grandnephew served two tours in Iraq.
“He’s home now, stationed at an Army base in South Carolina,” the Loganville woman said. “He served his duty, and now he’s back, and that’s great.”
Soldier’s Connection’s mission has spread by word of mouth and networking. Active and retired military personnel tout its work; elected officials like Gov. Sonny Perdue, a member of Post. No. 233, support it. Three other chapters operate in South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio.
“I flew to Ohio in one weekend, showed them how to run a chapter, then flew back,” Adcock told me. “This has been fun. A great way to meet people.”
Fun - yes. But the volunteers, like me, wish their work wasn’t needed, that like Wittenmyer’s grandnephew, the soldiers come home. Soon. A Soldier’s Connection T-shirt sums up their sentiments:
“We will be here till they all come home.”
For more information about Soldier’s Connection, call Jean Adcock at 770-787-9085; or Anitia Owens at 770-554-9912.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By LT500
April 15, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
Badie just couldn’t help but sully this story with his drivel.
Fun - yes. But the volunteers, like me, wish their work wasn’t needed, that like Wittenmyer’s grandnephew, the soldiers come home. Soon.
Another Obama Infomercial brought you by Rick Badie - Hack Extraordinaire.
Carefully inserted into the “story” But you will notice the lack of quotation marks, as Badie slyly tries to attribute it to Ms. Adcock.
LT5000
By Carbon Footprint
April 15, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
Congrats to Jean Adcock.
By One Man's View
April 15, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this
The contrast with those of us who served in the Vietnam theater could not be greater. I think that the outpouring of support for soldiers this day and age and the electronic connectivity that they have could be troublesome to some of us old vets. Just a thought, though I know I leave myself open to be pounced upon.
By Stars
April 15, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
Hah. My husband was overseas and all he kept saying was, “Don’t send me any toothbrushes, deodorant, or anything like that. We have way too much of that. Just send me a bag of Sour Patch Kids and some beef jerky.” He said that’s what all the soldiers wanted..beef jerky.
By Sandy_G
April 15, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this
My nephew-in-law who is now returning from Iraq, always asked for the same things, beef jerky, individual packs of drink mix that could be poured into bottled water, hard candy, etc., anything that could be carried in a pack and didn’t need refrigeration and wouldn’t melt in the heat. Also, clean socks, magazines and letters from home.
God bless anyone who takes the time to send a little something to our servicemen and servicewomen overseas. You are a true patriot.
By fk
April 15, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
My niece’s husband just returned from Afghanistan. His accommodations were not nearly as bad as those in other places. Many times, he sent stuff sent for him on to the soldiers in the field. They did appreciate the candy, gum and non-perishable items in individual servings. Others we knew overseas requested individual packets of ketchup & mustard. My nephew will be heading over to Iraq in a few months. Next trip to the warehouse store, I’ll have beef jerky & drink mix in mind.
By LT5000
April 15, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
Can I put Rick Badie in a Care package and send him to Iraq?
For anyone interested in what truly is going on over there, I suggest Michael Yon’s blog.
Picture Rick’s best blog ever and then multiply it by 400000000000000000.
LT50000
By Gandalf, the Grey
April 16, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
DON’T SEND PECAN SANDIES TO SOLDIERS DEPLOYED IN THE DESERT! My Dad sent me those every couple of weeks when I was over there in ‘92, they have the exact same color and consistency of the Desert floor. Jalepeno’s and Pepper Flakes make an MRE go down a lot smoother, but NO PECAN SANDIES!