Washington, D.C.-Today, Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville) announced that he is working with Buncombe County to collect goods and letters of support for our troops overseas as a part of the Christmas in July program. During the month of July, items can be dropped off at his Asheville office at 205 College Street, Suite 100.
“We owe so much to our troops, and should thank them as often as we can,” said Rep. Shuler. “This program is a wonderful way to show our appreciation and support to our men and women in uniform, and I’m glad to be able to participate. I thank Buncombe County for organizing this outstanding program as well as Old Dominion Freight Lines, WNC Pallet Company, Two Men and a Truck, Custom Packaging Company, and Manna Food Bank for their tremendous involvement. To give our troops a boost in morale and thank them for their service, I urge everyone to give what they can.”
Buncombe County Commissioner K. Ray Bailey said, “We are so excited that everyone in our community is joining together for this worthy cause – to help make Christmas for our troops a little bit brighter.”
More information is available online at buncombecounty.org/troops. Donations can be dropped off at Congressman Shuler’s office from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. The last day to contribute is July 31.
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BACKGROUND (From Buncombe County):
The following items are acceptable and much needed by our troops. They are the ONLY items that will be accepted.
- Cards/letters of support
- Coffee
- Protein bars
- Batteries
- Jerky/Slim Jims
- Beef Sticks
- Pre-sweetened powdered Kool-Aid
- Kool-Aid singles or similar
- Gatorade
- Hot chocolate
- Hot cider packets
- Canned fruit, dried fruit, fruit snacks
- Canned hearty soup, Ravioli and/or stew
- Cup A Soup, Top Raman Noodles, Dinty Moore
- Trail mix, nuts, sunflower seeds
- Pre-Packaged cookies
- Instant oatmeal, boxed cereal
- Easy Mac & Cheese
- Microwave popcorn
- Canned tuna, chicken
- Peanut butter / jelly (No Glass Please)
- Small boxes of crackers
- Multi-vitamins
- Tylenol
Special Wants:
- Small personal or desk fans
- Hand & foot warmers
- Hot plates
- Small coffee grinder
- Twin sheet sets, pillow cases, travel size pillows
- Cool scarves, jogging pants, Cool Max T-Shirts
- Wash cloths, bath towels, shave towels
- Flashlights, headlamps
- Leatherman
- New or good condition books - Mystery, Western, Thriller, Sports, Inspirational (No Romance Please)
- Men's deodorant, shave cream, foot powder, Odor Eaters
- Small size shampoos, conditioner, mouthwash
- Floss, lip balm, toothpaste, toothbrushes, nail clippers
- Sunblock, mosquito repellent, fly tape
- Wet wipes, anti-bacterial liquid soap
- New/Used DVDs / CDs
- Puzzle books
- Pads of paper, long envelopes, stamps
- Qt. / Gal Ziplock Bags
- Hand held games, hand held mini fans, misters
- Batteries AA / AAA
- Cards games...UNO, Skip Bo
- Yahtzee, board games
- Sports equipment, Hacky Sacks
- X-Box & PS2 Games
- Men's white/black crew/ work socks
- Under Armour Wear T-Shirts Sm., Med., Lg., Xlg.
- White, tan or brown t-shirts
- Phone cards
- Thong Sandals
- Sun glasses, safety glasses
- Gloves
- 72" Boot laces
- New or used working lap tops
- Duct tape
- Air fresheners
- Pajamas or lounge pants Med. to Xlg.
Holiday Needs:
- Summer sausage, crackers, canned ham (Sm.)
- Lots pre-packaged cookies, hot chocolate, coffee
- Chocolate candy, hard candy
- Handmade or mini ornaments
- Small 18-22 inch Christmas trees (Artificial)
- New or handmade blanket throws
- Cards & letters of support
- Handmade kid's pictures/ letters
- Small, un-wrapped gifts
- Homemade / bought stockings / mini or regular size
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