Drink mixes, cards and activities among goods gathered.
By: Lea Kahn
Aiming to do its part to help the troops serving in Iraq, the Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center is collecting toiletries and other items to send overseas.
Two collection boxes, decorated by children in the center’s after-school program, have been placed in the lobby of the Eggert Crossing Road facility.
Yvonne Johnson, head teacher of the after-school program, said she decided to undertake the project after seeing requests on the Internet for people to adopt a platoon or to send items to the troops.
"It’s a good little service project," Ms. Johnson said. "It’s asking the community to help out (by donating items for the soldiers and sailors). I want to help them.
"I have talked to the children about Iraq," she said. "They talk about it at school. I told them that the people in the military are volunteers. I told them about the (military) draft."
Ms. Johnson is seeking to collect sweetened drink mixes such as Kool-Aid, as well as coffee, sugar, creamer, tea bags and hot chocolate. Comic books and puzzle books, plus birthday, anniversary, get well and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards also would be welcomed.
Once the donation boxes are full, they will be taken to the American Red Cross office on Alexander Road in West Windsor, she said. The American Red Cross will transport the items to Fort Dix, where they will be sorted and sent overseas, she said.
The items can be dropped off at the Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The center is located at 295 Eggert Crossing Road.

