Disposable Foot Socks

Operation We Care seeks donations, assistance

"The war is not over until all our men and women come home."

In that spirit, volunteers to operate the We Care Northshore send parcels per month to our troops overseas. The main objective of the group is to provide support for packages and letters that allow troops know they are remembered and appreciated for their service.

Since 2003, volunteers of Operation Care, we have sent over 17,000 packages to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. They also raised more than $ 120,000, mainly used for postage and shipping. Brenda Ogden is the president of the local organization that began in Ponchatoula, and now is located in Mandeville.

Donations are collected on the north shore at various drop box locations. The drop boxes are located at Rouse’s, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the Dollar General on Louisiana 22 in Mandeville. Ogden said that many donations come from schools so during the summer, donations tend to drop. But the collection of donations is ongoing and volunteers always are needed to help put boxes together.

Some of items needed currently include AT&T phone cards, beef jerky, meat sticks, turkey, tuna or chicken in foil bags, Gatorade, Kool Aid and Powerade drink mix, sunflower seeds, peanuts, trail mix, eyedrops, peanut butter and jelly in small plastic jars or squeeze bottles, disposable cameras and sunscreen. This month, they are collecting snack foods such as cookies, drink mixes and crackers. Next month they plan to collect toiletries such as travel size shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, foot powder, razors, lip balm, new socks and coffee.

Teresita Mercante, a Mandeville resident whose son just completed basic training, spent a recent Wednesday packing almost 200 care packages for the troops. All boxes include notes or letters for the troops, some written by schoolchildren. According to Mercante, one volunteer writes 150 notes per month to be included in the packages.

Operation We Care also has been donating pillows for the troops, with some of the pillowcases even embroidered by volunteers. Troops often don’t have pillows and so this is an added comfort for them. The intent is to make their time in service as comfortable as possible.

"Every donation goes directly to the servicemen," Mercante said.

Operation We Care is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For information on volunteering, items needed for the care packages, or to make a monetary donation, go online to www.operationwecare.com or call 892.9700.

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