February 24, 2011

Deadline extended to donate items for troops

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- You have a little extra time to show your appreciation for American troops serving around the world through a project sponsored by the Inter-Greek Council at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The Inter-Greek Council has extended until March 4 the deadline for donations to its Valentines for Troops Month project. The council has donation boxes in locations through the campus where you can drop off non-perishable food items, clothing, sporting equipment, toiletries and other miscellaneous paper/electronic items.

Drop-off locations for the donations include: University Housing residence halls, the Army and Air Force ROTC buildings, Greek Row housing, Morris Library, and the Inter-Greek Council office and the Student Development office, both on the third floor of the Student Center. Donation boxes also are in the dean’s offices in the colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Mass Communication and Media Arts, the advisement offices in the colleges of Business and Engineering, the administrative office in the College of Education and Human Services and the computer lab area at the College of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Each week, organizers are emptying the boxes to make room for more donations. All items will be packaged and shipped overseas to U.S. military personnel, according to Dan Wilczak, philanthropy chairperson for the Inter-Greek Council.

Welcomed “Valentine” items for service personnel include non-perishable food items including candy, cookies, powdered drink mix packets, coffee and sugar packets, powdered creamer, crackers, peanut butter (28 ounce or smaller in plastic jars), beef jerky, chips, pretzels and gum. Also, athletic team T-shirts, socks, shorts, baseball caps, sunglasses, sweatshirts, sizes M-XL sweatpants, flip-flops, footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs and gloves, blankets, toilet paper, eye drops, foot powder, wet wipes, shaving kits, lip balm, nail kits, pencils, pens, paper, books, puzzle books, magazines, AA and AAA batteries, small first aid kits, chewing tobacco, phone cards, I-Tunes cards, DVD movies, disposable cameras, computer memory sticks and similar items.

The council is also accepting monetary donations to help cover shipping costs. To donate postage funds, visit the Student Development Office on the third floor of the Student Center or mail your donation, marked for Valentines for Troops, to Andy Morgan, Student Center, Mail Code 4425, 1255 Lincoln Drive, Room 305, Carbondale, IL 62901.

For more information about Valentines for Troops, contact Student Development at 618/453-5714 or Wilczak at 847/401-4909.