Several weeks ago I received an e-mail from a friend who has been sending care packages to our troops in Iraq for the past six years. The subject was “What Our Wounded Troops Need.” The list of items needed was simple and heartbreaking. The troops when wounded are sent to the area hospital wearing only dirty and bloody T-shirts and underwear. Once they are stabilized, they are sent to Germany, sometimes wearing only underwear. The list of critical items needed included: T-shirts, sweat pants (it's cold on the aircraft and in Germany), boxer shorts and toys for the Afghan children waiting to go the many orphanages.

Recent at the Summit County Community and Senior Center, with the help of Tom Torres and Tim Gurule of the Leonidas Fund, we packed six large boxes of needed items to be sent to the 451st Expeditionary/Aero Medical Evacuation Flight, Helmund and Kandahar Provinces, Afghanistan, Attn: Master Sergeant Wilkes, USAF.

These boxes were filled with donations from the generous and compassionate people listed below of Frisco and Summit County and Florida: Mayor Bill Pelham, Cristi Eckert, Tom Kusleika, Margaret and Mike Smith, Eric Black, The Tyson Family and Keith and Kathy Olson (Ft. Myers Beach, Florida)

To each and everyone — Thank you for your kindness and support. God Bless you.