Emporia’s annual military care package drive officially begins this week.
Organizer Dianne Tebbetts says drop-off boxes will be placed at Mark II Lumber, Emporia Fire Headquarters and Station 2, Country Mart, Graves Drugs, Good’s Cash Saver, Mel’s Tire and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1980 on Tuesday. She mentioned some items to donate — and some not to donate — during an interview last week on KVOE’s Morning Show.
Over 850 Kansas servicemen and servicewomen are now overseas, and they are eligible for a care package.
Besides donations, which will end Nov. 27, the drive also needs money to send the packages overseas. Tebbetts says it costs almost $19 per box to mail the packages, so people can mail donations to the VFW Post 1980, 932 Graphic Arts, with “care packages” in the memo line. Residents can also support the drive by donating at the Emporia Community Foundation’s Match Day at Flinthills Mall on Nov. 12.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles handled the first care package drive in 2003, with the VFW hosting since.
For more information, call Tebbetts at 757-1390. The annual packing party is Dec. 1 at the VFW post.
