By Mary Ellen Zangara Special Writer
MANVILLE — Spending the holidays away from family can diminish the holiday spirit, but for U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, the annual Holiday Operation Shoebox New Jersey helps deliver some cheer.
The organization, which collects donated personal items to ship to the troops, will host its fourth annual packing event in time for the soldiers to receive the much need items for the holidays. The event will take place on Nov. 15 at the Veterans of Foreign War post on Washington Avenue in Manville.
Rod Hirsch, founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization, is excited to be having another successful event in Manville.
”Our staff really looks forward to the annual holiday packing,” said Mr. Hirsch.
This time there will be two shifts for packing because of the overwhelming responses in the past few years — in the past two events, more than 800 volunteers came to help pack the boxes for the soldiers.
”This is the first time shifts have been instituted to help with crowd control and to afford volunteers ample opportunity to pack more than one box,” Mr. Hirsch said. “Volunteers are asked to sign up prior to the event on the Operation Shoebox NJ Web site, www.opshoeboxnj.org, and indicate whether they will attend the first shift between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., or the afternoon shift, which begins at 1 p.m.”
In addition to packing boxes, volunteers can help make holiday ornaments and greeting cards to be included with the shipments. A light lunch will be available, with proceeds benefiting the VFW.
There are items that are still needed for the boxes that are frequently requested by the soldiers and Marines serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please note that aerosol products cannot be shipped overseas. All items must be in original packaging and should be in small packaging to make it easier to ship overseas.
Items needed include:
• Lip balm, sun block, moist wipes, bug spray (non-aerosol), and bars of soap
• Small bottles of shampoo, deodorant (non-aerosol)
• Powdered drink mixes
• Cereal, snack and granola bars, instant oatmeal (individual packets)
• Boxes of hot chocolate in individual packets
• Small cans of tuna and fruit with pull-tops
• Microwave popcorn (in individual bags)
• Athletic socks
• Batteries (all sizes)
• Gum, candy, small bags of trail mix, peanuts, pretzels and small boxes of cereal.
”We’re asking that everyone who plans to participate in the packing to bring a bag of donated supplies — our greatest need right now is for toothbrushes, powder, lip balm and moist wipes,” Mr. Hirsch said. “The more we have, the more packages we can ship overseas.”
Volunteer packers are asked to bring donations of personal care items for shipment that day, including snacks and toiletries.
So far there have been many volunteers calling and signing up to come out and help this worthy cause.
”We have a bus load of honor students coming down from the Robert Treat Academy in Newark, and a group of Air Force ROTC students from Old Bridge High School that have signed up to pack boxes,” Mr. Hirsch said. “Hundreds of Girl Scouts from throughout Central New Jersey have also signed up. We’ve been getting calls the past month about the packing, and people have been signing up on our Web site, too.”
In each of the two prior events in February 2008 and November 2007, volunteers packed and shipped 1,017 boxes from the VFW post, with help from the Manville post office. Volunteers packed and shipped 921 gift boxes and the Girl Scout troops from the Rolling Hills Council donated more than 3,000 boxes of cookies during last year’s holiday packing event.
During the short few years in existence, Operation Shoebox NJ has shipped more than 19,483 total packages. Donations can be dropped off the day of the packing at the VFW or at the Operation Shoebox New Jersey Headquarters, Veterans Industrial Park, 152 Route 206 South in Hillsborough.
To volunteer, make a monetary donation or donate items, visit www.opshoeboxnj.org or call Mr. Hirsch 908-698-0333.
