Operation Care for Troops Welcomes Senator Ayotte; Now the Question is ‘Can You Make a Scarf?’
August 19, 2016
-
- Staff photo by Len Lathrop Sharon Zeigler, a long-term volunteer, shows Senator Ayotte as what goes into the box and how the items are wrapped to prevent breakage.
-
- Staff photo by Len Lathrop The boxes that will be filled are lined up and ready to go.
-
- Staff photo by Len Lathrop Ted and Deborah Luszey with Madeline Dreusicke discuss Operation Care for Troops and its plans for the future.
by Len Lathrop
Starting last Thursday the Nashua Armory was busy as the Operation Care for Troops prepared and shipped 925 packages to soldiers overseas. The number of packages that Operation Care for Troops, formerly known as MooreMart, has shipped before this weekend was 88,800. Now the total will be 89,725, and, quite possibly, the total sent by mid-November will reach the 100,000 mark. With everyone’s help, that number seems very reachable.
Thursday Senator Ayotte stopped by the armory to thank everyone for the work they do in supporting the troops. The senator packed some boxes and wrote messages to the soldiers receiving the packages. Also visiting on Thursday was a news crew from the LA Times, Washington Bureau; they meet with Ted and Deborah Luszey, who have become the leaders of this giant team of volunteers who mobilize for this summer shipment and the holiday boxes that are already in the works. Sent in the U.S. mail, the hope is that the servicemen and women will receive the packages in about 10 days, however, for those at an FOB (forward operating base) requiring a helicopter drop, it could take a couple of weeks. The packages include granola bars, protein bars, canned fruit, socks, ramen noodles, as well as cards handmade by local children, thanking them for their services.
This was Senator Ayotte’s first visit to the operation. She commented that she is always amazed and thankful for the efforts of these volunteers, so that the active duty troops know they are remembered at home and appreciated.
Want to know about scarves? The idea started with a goal to have enough handmade scarves to send to the men and women of the New Hampshire Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment – the unit that is stationed at the Amory in Nashua, but the Luszeys and Operation Care for Troops is wondering how many they can now collect and send.
For more information: Operation Care For Troops, PO Box 1604, Nashua, NH 03061-1604 or e-mail us at: contact@octnh.org, Ted Luzsey: Ted@octnh.org, Volunteer: Volunteer@octnh.org.
