15 minutes to help the Troops - drive underway
By Marsha Geier

A Support the Troops Donation Drive is planned during the month of October.
Operation Interdependence® invites you to support the troops with 15 minutes of giving.

Operation Interdependence® is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to providing the public the means to support the men and women of the United States armed forces, deployed in harm’s way.

Designed to reach as many as possible, one box of C-rats® and notes from OI® will support a platoon of 50 instead of one individual.

Throughout October a donation/letter drive is planned to restock the OI® warehouse. Churches, youth groups, organizations, families and more are asked to begin collecting items and writing letters for the troops – and on Saturday, Oct. 29, come to drop off your donations in downtown Monticello during the Chamber Halloween parade.
Letters, items for the troops and monetary donations also may be dropped off now at Sugardog in Monticello; Gilman TV & Appliance, PACE Office and Smith Motors in Winamac; and People’s State Bank in Francesville.

With just 15 minutes, you can write a note or shop for items that you would like to send. Operation Interdependence® will ensure that your donation reaches deployed forces.
Here in Indiana, OI supports units all over the world, including military personnel in Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, Honduras, Iraq and Germany. The drive also supports units that include the 55th Medical Company out of Indianapolis and the 738th Medical Company out of Monticello. This unit has members from counties including White, Pulaski, Fulton, Starke and Cass.

After dropping off your donations on Oct. 29, you may record a short video message to the troops and sign a large chess set donated by Mega Chess that will be sent overseas to the troops.

All it takes is 15 minutes of giving.