Talk of the Town - Whitley County

(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, Donna Hilliard, a member of the Churubusco American Legion Auxiliary, selects items to fill one of 14 care packages for soldiers last week. Hilliard and a group of volunteers from the Auxiliary filled the packages with various items and mailed them out last Friday.

At right, from left, Karen Bay and Alicia Armstrong prepare a care package for a local soldier at the American Legion hall in Churubusco. Below, Donna Hilliard and Fran Hlavaty gather items for a care package that would sent to Hlavaty's son overseas. 

By Jennifer Zartman Romano

In the back room of the American Legion Hall in Churubusco, a large group of women were working busily, dashing here and there, hands working quickly. Beneath the hum of conversation and the occasional clinking of glasses on the table tops, the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary members set about a major task of the evening – a project already many hours in the making – filling care packages for Whitley County’s soldiers overseas.

On this particular evening, their goal was to complete 14 care packages filled with anything from personal care products, treats and toys for the soldiers to give in a gesture of goodwill to the little ones they encounter in the course of their daily duties.

Spearheading the project was Donna Hilliard who, prior to the more fun project of filling the boxes, had already spent many, many hours filling out the necessary governmental paperwork to ship the boxes to soldiers.

“It’s a very tedious process,” Hilliard said as she began selecting items to fill one soldier’s box, referring to the paperwork involved in sending care packages. Still, she and others know their effort is worth it to show the soldiers their community cares.

The community has shown its support for the Auxiliary’s care package project by donating a number of items. Hilliard mentioned that the local Girl Scouts had provided boxes of cookies. Additionally, C&A Tool has supported the project in addition to local stores Mor For Less and Egolf’s IGA.

Each of the boxes was destined for a different soldier. One box has been designated for Talk of the Town’s own Major Donald Green who writes our “Letters From Iraq” column. We are hopeful we might get a photo from Major Green when his box arrives – bringing the project full circle.

Hilliard said the Auxiliary is eager to fill more boxes for more soldiers – they just need names and addresses. Names and addresses can be provided by calling the Legion at 693-6263 or visiting the American Legion at 115 South Main Street, Churubusco.