Reservists rally support for New Kensington student service project

Reservists rally support for New Kensington student service project

New Kensington, Pa. -- A plan by two Penn State New Kensington student groups to make care packages for local reservists serving in Iraq is growing into a major team effort involving other campus organizations and the local business community.

At a project kickoff program Monday afternoon (April 12) in the Cats' Pause Cafe on the Penn State New Kensington campus, Monique Booth, vice president of the Student Government Association (SGA), challenged all student clubs to participate in the community service project. Campus club members who help collect supplies for the troops will earn points toward a "Club of the Year" plaque to be awarded at the all-campus picnic on Friday, April 23, she said.

"It's a good idea for us to do something for the community, to reach out and show the community we care," said Booth.

Attending the kickoff ceremony were special guests Spc. Mark Messina of Springdale, who returned home less than three weeks ago from active duty in Iraq; Sgt. Carl Smith of Crafton, rear detachment officer for the 458th Engineer Battalion, Charlie Company, based out of the New Kensington Army Reserve Center; and Sgt. Jeffrey Davis of Penn Hills, who also served with the 458th reserve unit in Iraq as a heavy equipment operator. His daughter, Katie Davis, is one of the Penn State New Kensington students organizing the project for the local battalion.

"There are 140 local soldiers serving in Iraq," Katie Davis said. "We want to show them that we support them and are proud of them."

The reservists assured the Penn State students that those local men and women who are serving with the military will be grateful for their efforts and the supplies.

"Anything you send over there to remind them of the United States is going to be appreciated," Davis said.

Messina agreed, "All the soldiers think about is home. Thank you for your thoughts and for everything else."

Davis said he is proud of his daughter for getting involved in the campus project. "When I joined the reserves, she was 2 years old," he said. "She knows what families who are separated from their loved ones are going through."

Students said that donation collection boxes will be placed around campus, specifically at the campus front entrance, in the Student Activities office, in front of the mail room, in the Club Room and the Student Government Association office.

In addition, student volunteers will be stationed at a table in the Cats' Pause Cafe during common hour each weekday to accept donations and answer questions about the service project. The following items are needed:

-- Toiletries: hand/skin cream, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Benadryl (capsules/cream), Tums/Pepcid AD/Rolaids, hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls, cotton swabs, throat lozenges, eye drops, lip balm, Band-Aids (various sizes), non-aerosol insect repellent, hydrocortisone cream, antibiotic cream, bathroom tissue, tissues and baby wipes.

-- Snacks and miscellaneous: small, clip-on flashlights, disposable cameras, AT&T phone cards, disposable razors, powdered drink mix such as Gatorade/Kool-Aid/Powerade, microwave popcorn, hard candy, gum, assorted snack crackers, non-refrigerated pudding packs, flavored coffees, flavored teas, beef sticks, assorted chips and pretzels, cookies and snack foods, magazines, books, puzzle books, music CDs, DVD movies and Play Station/PS2 games.

The following items are prohibited: aerosol/carbonated cans, pornographic material, alcohol, religious publications, batteries, pork product foods, weapons and caustic materials.

Students said their next step will be to contact local businesses to ask them to donate supplies for the care packages, which will be delivered to the Family Readiness Group of the 458th Engineer Battalion, Charlie Company, based out of the New Kensington Army Reserve Center.

The deadline to donate items for the project sponsored by the Penn State New Kensington Psychological Association and Student Government Association is Friday, April 23.

For pictures from the project kickoff program, go to http://live.psu.edu/still_life/2004_04_13_service/index.html