Community shows support for troops overseas

Local residents organize project to send care packages

When former Logansport resident Chris Redmon sent out an e-mail to his family and friends asking them to send a care package to someone overseas, he didn’t expect the response he received.

Redmon and his wife, Rena, have a son serving in the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan. 1st Lt. Daniel Redmon has 42 men in his charge with the 2/2 G Company, which is currently in Helmand Province.

“Everyone is putting a little sticker on their car to support the troops or talk about supporting the troops,” said Chris Redmon, who know lives in St. George, Utah. “I was in service and I’m aware of what these troops are going through. ... What a better way to love them than at the holidays?”

When Tabitha Brown read the e-mail her cousin sent, she approached her friend, Marta Smiley, to see if she would be interested in helping collect donations from fellow employees at Small Parts.

With both her sons serving in the Army, Smiley wanted to help. One of her sons is going to Germany and the other is heading to Afghanistan in March.

When Brown asked for help, she though it would be her sons overseas next Christmas.

Most of the Marines serving in the platoon don’t have someone at home to receive a box from back home, the women learned.

“Chris told us most of these men were unmarried and had no family,” Brown said. “He was asking everyone to send out at least one package. We started collecting and had enough for 25 boxes. It just kind of snowballed from there.”

Brown said the collection started at Small Parts, but the word got out and donations began to pour in.

“It’s very heartwarming and very touching,” she said.

To help keep the soldiers warm, the boxes included blankets, hats, gloves, and feet and hand warmers. Brown explained the temperatures in Afghanistan are below 30 degrees right now.

In addition, the boxes included hot cocoa, tea, coffee, candy, DVDs, books, magazines, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, chapstick, a variety of snacks and baby wipes to help keep clean.

On Saturday morning, a group of volunteers joined together to box the items, tape up the 45 boxes and take them to the post office.

Chris and Rena Redmon are grateful for the support of the Logansport community and for Brown’s dedication.

“I didn’t expect Tab to do what she did with it,” he said. “My wife was in tears. ... The neat thing is each guy is going to have their own box. They are going to feel like they have their own family and are not only loved by one person, but an entire community.”

The collection of items didn’t actually start until the week before Thanksgiving.

“It’s been a week of constant mayhem,” Brown said.

Brown and Smiley also thank those who helped out including, Small Parts, A. Raymond, Tube Fabrication, Rural King, Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy, Bob Rance, Roy and Linda Brown, Maria Rogers and Smith Office Equipment, John Randall and the American Legion, FedEx and Todd Dill.

Even though the week has been stressful, both women said it was fun.

They are even planning to collect items again for Easter care packages. Brown said those packages will probably be sent to the men who are in the same platoon as Smiley’s sons.

Smiley feels it is important to send care packages to the soldiers overseas.

“So they know we are always behind them,” she said. “You think of all the kids away from home and away from their families. It’s nice to give them something to let them know as a community we care, even if we don’t know them.”

Overall, Brown hopes the care packages send the troops one main message.

“I hope they realize they are over there for a good cause and are appreciated by the American people and Logansport community,” she said.

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com

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