A local group continues to collect donations of snacks, games, books and cash for holiday care packages for military personnel deployed overseas. Yolo Military Families kicked off its weeklong fundraiser Saturday at the Save Mart store on Anderson Road.
ÒCommunity support for our military personnel was overwhelming,Ó says Linda Smith, the groupÕs spokeswoman. ÒWe offer our heartfelt thanks for their generosity.Ó
Donation boxes will be in place until Saturday at all locations, except First Northern Bank at Second and D streets; its box will be picked up Friday.
Other locations are Redwood Barn Nursery, 1607 Fifth St.; the Davis Police Department, 2600 Fifth St.; Davis Athletic Club, 1809 Picasso Ave.; Harrison Self-Storage, 2323 Second St.; The Graduate, 805 Russell Blvd.; Vita Dolce Salon, 135 F St.; and Yolo SportsmenÕs Association, 24189 Aviation Ave., all in Davis.
In Woodland, the donation box at the American Red Cross office, 120 Court St., will be picked up Friday, and the box at the Tri-Counties Bank at the Bel Air supermarket, 1885 Gibson Road, will be collected Saturday.
Suggested donations are travel-size toiletries, snack foods, granola bars, small cans of fruit and beef ravioli, packages of tuna and instant oatmeal. Word-game books, travel games, DVDs and CDs are always appreciated. Pocket-size notebooks (3-by-5 inches) are needed as well.
Local residents who would like to add a deployed military person to the gift list, or who would like to join the organization, are invited to e-mail [email protected]
During the past year, Yolo Military Families mailed 177 packages to deployed troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Okinawa, Turkey, South Korea, Qatar and aboard the USS Nimitz.