OPERATION: LMS Stockings For Troops
“Sharing Greetings, Gratitude and Goodies”
By Vicki Cavit
Lyons Middle School students and staff are gathering goodies and making stockings for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. In conjunction with our Character Education and Lions Pride Teams, we expect to send 200 individual stockings/bags overseas by Friday, December 9th. Individual messages from Lyons youth and adults will share greetings, gratitude, and goodies with the troops.
We encourage other interested individuals, families, or groups in our local area invited to participate.
Items needed are those that can survive a week en route to Afghanistan and are packaged primarily for individual use. Suggestions include: hard candy, beef jerky, powdered drink mixes (ie. Kool-aid, Gatorade, etc.) and gum. Also helpful are snacks like granola bars, candy bars, dried fruit, home-made cookies, candies, popcorn, and other baked goods that will be good after a week of travel. Personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, chap-stick like products, etc. Note pads, pencils, pens, crossword and word-type game magazines/pads can also be enjoyed by the troops. Cards and letters- giving thanks, sharing information from “home”, while recognizing and acknowledging specific character traits that our troops exemplify while giving of self and service to our country, for the principles of human rights, safety and freedom.
Local connection with our project: Tara Reyes, Paraprofessional at Lyons Middle School, is married to AJ Reyes. Both are local graduates of Lyons School System. Sgt. Reyes is stationed in Afghanistan, and efforts have been coordinated with him to receive, disperse, and deliver these care packages to the troops in his midst. Tara was instrumental in knowing the need and bringing it to our staff and students.
