AU students send gifts to the battle zone
By WANDA JENIFER
Observer Staff
| The following are prohibited in the region of Operation Iraqi Freedom: |
| Obscene articles (prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc). |
| Any matter depicting nude or seminude persons, pornographic or sexual items, or nonauthorized political materials. |
| Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith. Items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible. |
| Pork or pork by-products. |
| For packages, print on one side only with the recipient’s address in the lower right portion. |
| Visit the USPS Web site to learn more. |
Pi Kappa Alpha’s AU chapter will hold its second donation drive to collect items for care packages to send to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for the holiday season. Tables will be set up on the main quad on Dec. 3, 4 and 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
William Quinn, a Kogod Business School senior and the fraternity’s treasurer, said he got the idea to send the troops care packages last year after he read an article on ESPN’s Web site about injured war veteran and San Diego Padres minor leaguer, Cooper Brannan.
Brannan lost his left baby finger while serving as a Marine corporal in Iraq. But despite his injuries, he has signed up to play for the Padres.
The article got Quinn thinking about what he can do to help the troops. After talking to some friends and family members who had also been to Iraq, the idea was sparked in March and by June the fraternity’s first donation drive netted them $300 and enough goods to send 22 care packages to 11 troops overseas. Each of the troops received two boxes to be shared with their units.
“We set up a table and collected $300,” Quinn said. “We were able to buy some items; we had donations and Sprite t-shirts donated by HOT 99.5.”
 A postcard William Quinn received from the first care package drive. |
The items were shipped in flat-rate USPS boxes for $8.95 each. “You can stuff as much into those boxes that will fit,” Quinn said. “No matter how much it weighs, the cost is still $8.95.”
“My mom gave a bag of rubber ducks so that troops could give them out to the Iraqi children,” Quinn said. “As long as the items don’t violate the list of prohibited items and the food won’t go bad before it arrives to the troops, I’ll send it,” he said. (See Prohibited Items sidebar)
The current donation drive is called “Bring Home 2 the Troops.” Quinn aims to get the packages delivered to the troops by Christmas.
The fraternity gets the names of the troops from friends and alumni who know people stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, or from the Web site, anysoldier.com, started by the father of two soldiers.
Right now, Quinn says they have names of eight service men and women to receive the care packages. They also plan to deliver items to some of the wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Stop by the collection booth on Dec. 3, 4 and 5, or contact William Quinn directly to donate your items. Monetary donations as well as those listed below are accepted.
