Bring the comforts of home to troops in Iraq

    BORDENTOWN CITY— As the owner of a small business that specializes in paper products, stationery and scrapbook supplies, Lynette Young was naturally drawn to the idea of correspondence as a way to support and encourage troops overseas.

By: Vanessa Holt
    BORDENTOWN CITY— As the owner of a small business that specializes in paper products, stationery and scrapbook supplies, Lynette Young was naturally drawn to the idea of correspondence as a way to support and encourage troops overseas.
    Her store, Netsie’s Scrapbook Shoppe at 200 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown City, is participating in Operation Military Pride, a program that allows people back home to "adopt" a member of the military.
    "It’s a group put together by spouses and people who were formerly in the military, to help get supplies over to the troops," said Ms. Young.
    Ms. Young is collecting items for two Marines stationed out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., where her brother was recently stationed.
    The program deals with all branches of the military and troops can "opt in" if they want to participate. Ms. Young has begun corresponding with two Marines, one male and one female.
    One of the Marines, stationed on a Navy ship, has said he will share whatever is sent to him with the troops he is stationed with.
    Ms. Young said word of mouth has brought many people to her store who are interested in participating in the program. While she can’t give the addresses of her adopted Marines out, she can accept donations on their behalf.
    Some items, such as newspaper articles, religious materials, fruit, alcohol and pork products, are prohibited. Among the most requested items that can be sent are sunblock, lip balm, aspirin that can be taken without water, bandanas and personal hygiene items.
    A package sent to the troops generally takes about two weeks to arrive, she said. The deployed troops are able to respond to letters without requiring postage, so donations of blank cards are welcome, and stamps are not necessary.
    Scrapbook hobbyists, of course, are often inclined to make their own cards, said Ms. Young. Many of her customers are sending stickers along to the troops that they can use in their correspondence with their children, she said.
    "They just have the packs that they carry on their backs," she said. "They can’t normally send anything back to their kids."
    Donations for troops also are being accepted at numerous locations in the area, including Fleet Bank branches in Columbus, Bordentown Township and Roebling.
    Nonperishable items including cookies, pretzels, powdered drink mixes, candy and gum, entertainment items like playing cards, small board games, paperback books, puzzles, videos, compact discs and cassettes, and personal items like sunscreen, lip balm, wrap-around sunglasses, batteries, shaving cream, toothpaste and toothbrushes, razors, and shower gel are among the items accepted. Chocolate cannot be accepted.
    Fleet Bank branches are located at 5 Homestead Drive, Columbus, 100 Fifth Ave., Roebling and 234 Route 130 South, Bordentown Township.
    Donations of similar items also are accepted through the Operation Shoebox program, which has a drop-off point at Hegyi’s Liquor Store, Fieldsboro, where Union and Washington streets meet.