12/20/01
Program allows sponsors to send care packages to troops
CANDICE REED
The North County Times
OCEANSIDE ---- The public is invited to send items to troops overseas as part of a new program unveiled Wednesday by the Navy League Tri-City Council, a support group for active military.
The Navy League kicked off its program at a luncheon at the Staff Noncommissioned Officer's Club at Camp Pendleton.
Operation Interdependence™ will give businesses, organizations or individual civilians a chance to send care packages containing at least 43 Ziplock-type bags of assorted items packaged in a box not bigger than 24-by-24-by-24, Navy League officials said Wednesday.
"What we are basically doing is having civilians donating 43 bags of items ---- enough for a whole platoon so no one gets left out ---- each month," said Tri-City Council President Albert Renteria. "The Marines will then inspect it for weapons and other contraband and make sure there are enough care packages."
Civilians must pay shipping charges, Renteria said.
Tri-City past president Hershel Burson said the Navy League's main purpose is to assist Marines, the Coast Guard, the Navy and Merchant Marines.
"We want the word to get out that these are a great group of guys and we are here for them," he said.
Paperback books, razors, candy, stamps and paper were just some of the items that filled the bags that were on display at Wednesday's luncheon. Sponsors or individual civilians will be supporting an entire unit and not just one soldier. No pornography, alcohol or tobacco will be allowed.
The new program will go into effect in the next few months. Marketing students at San Diego State University will help market the program.
"This seems like a great program; I'm really excited about it," said Lance Cpl. Damon Dumser, who has been deployed to Japan and Korea in the past. "I don' t get much from home, so this will be awesome come January when I get shipped out again."
Dumser was one of the hundreds of Marines that were at the luncheon, meeting and speaking to potential sponsors.
For more information or to arrange to drop off items to send to troops overseas, call Albert Renteria at (760) 468-1315.