Military (11/20)

Marines play Santa to needy kids

The East Valley Marines are collecting toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, and the drive will continue until the week before Christmas. Last year, East Valley Marines collected approximately 3,000 toys, and they hope to do even better this year.

Once the toys are collected, they are sorted and batched and delivered to families in the Valley.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program was established in 1947 and over the years has collected and distributed more than 402,000,000 toys.

To join the effort or find out where to drop your toys, call (480) 802-8156, (480) 802-7550 or (480) 759-1888.

Groups help military families

Over the last five years, 1.6 million military service members have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. CAMP HOPE is a new fundraising campaign by Easter Seals and Epsilon Sigma Alpha International to provide camping opportunities for children of military families. A $600 contribution to CAMP HOPE will provide a week-long camping experience for these kids, allowing them to be kids again and also the opportunity to share their experiences with children of other service members. Any and all donations will provide services to support families learning to live with a service member facing newly acquired disabilities.

More information and CAMP HOPE support forms are available at www.esaintl.com/iccouncil/files/CampHope.pdf. Help say a much deserved “Thank You” to some of our youngest heroes.

Ahwatukee American Legion Post 64 and Veterans Club

The Ahwatukee American Legion Post 64 and Veterans Club meets at 3 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive. The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21.

For more information, contact Rod Green at (480) 496-6169.

TShirts 4 Soldiers helps people connect

The Home Sweet Home Campaign’s new program, TShirts 4 Soldiers, is helping people connect with their deployed loved ones. This unique and fun way to send a piece of your heart and home to a service member you love is making a big splash in the military world. Spouses, children, mothers and more are designing one-of-a-kind T-shirts and having them shipped directly to their loved one. In turn, service members are sending T-shirts they have designed back home to their family and friends.

For every T-shirt sold, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to USA Cares Warrior Treatment Today Program, which seeks to remove the financial barrier that prohibits veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries from receiving the treatment they need.

To learn more, go to www.OurSoldiers.org or contact Beth Ann VanHoose at (618) 567-1384 or e-mail Beth@OurSoldiers.org.