Your view: Thank you

A Soldier's Christmas

When we decided to do this campaign for our soldiers in Iraq we thought we would probably send out 100 boxes. We had no idea that there would be so many donations. The campaign was great and the response that we received from Sikeston and the surrounding communities was amazing.

The number of boxes rose very quickly and we ended up shipping a total of 321 boxes to Iraq. Supplies that were sent were food, candy, beef jerky, lots of snacks, clothing, blankets, pillows, coffee pots, cameras, a huge variety of toiletries, DVD movies, watches, sunglasses, batteries, handheld games, baseball gloves, tool bags, alarm clocks, writing supplies, phone cards, numerous entertainment items and much more. Everything that was on the list was covered.

In each box sent were letters and cards from the schools and churches. Stories the children had written to these soldiers were heartwarming and we are sure the soldiers will find them very touching. As for the children of Iraq, there were over 500 Beanie Babies donated for the soldiers to give as goodwill gifts to those children.

Gifts were sent to the following soldiers and their units: CSM Ray D. Harding, SFC Mark Poyner, ISG Robert Haaf, SPC Zachary E. Krebs, Sgt. Jared K. Kean and James Donald Shaw.

When you do something of this nature it truly meaning to what this war is and the daily sacrifices our soldiers make.

We would like to thank the Standard Democrat newspaper staff of Tim Jaynes and Leonna Heuring, as well as Moll Printing for all of the advertisement they provided in helping to make this campaign a success. A special thanks to the American Legion who gave $1,000 in supplies and Heartland Trailer Manufacturing who gave $1,000 in monetary donations. For the girls that helped pack the boxes, Megan Looney and Paula Depro, thank you for the help.

And to the businesses and the many people that have so willingly donated and to the ones that we did not get their names, we thank you as well.

We would also like to thank our Poplar Bluff, Jackson and Marble Hill offices in collecting supplies at their locations.

Regional Title - Sikeston

Marilyn Huffstutler and Debbie Aters