For soldiers that are deployed overseas, something as simple as a letter from home can mean a world of difference according to fisheries and wildlife senior Dave Locher.
“It means a lot when you’re away from your family, (and) you’re in hostile environments,” said Locher, a Marine veteran who fought in Afghanistan. “It will give you what you need.”
Last Friday representatives from the MSU Student Veterans of America and Send Home in a Package, or SHIP, were at the rock on Farm Lane collecting donations to send boxes of supplies to deployed soldiers.
Locher said that as a veteran, receiving items from home can be invaluable. When he was serving overseas, his family and church sent every Marine in his platoon stockings with donated items for the holidays.
“It means that they care, and it shows that they do support the troops,” Locher said. “Everyone doesn’t have serve in the military … you can just support those that are on the front line, and that’s more than enough.”
The packages will include everyday comfort items that soldiers miss from home, international relations sophomore Adreanna Scribner said.
“We’re trying to facilitate a different kind of need. We’re just trying to send a piece of home,” said Scribner, founder of SHIP.
“They’re asking for gummy bears, Cheetos (and) Monster — just simple things.”
Scribner said one of the biggest requests from soldiers was baby wipes to keep the dust out of their eyes. On Friday, representatives only were asking for monetary donations to cover the cost of shipping the packages. It costs about $14 to ship a box to Afghanistan, Scribner said.
Considering Friday was Veterans Day, a lot of students were supportive of the initiative, public policy sophomore Kent Dell said.
“Everyone is pretty supportive, it’s pretty cool,” said Dell, who has been deployed to Iraq twice. “We always have people drive by and honk at us. I think just about everybody that’s walked by has thrown some money in for the packages.”
Locher was glad to see so many students supporting veterans, a group that he said he would like to have a bigger voice on campus.
“We’re not asking for big praise, just a simple ‘thank you’ is great,” he said. “A lot of us gave up four-plus years of our life. We went out, did our thing and now we’re just trying to go to school like everyone else.”
SHIP’s goal is to send packages to 20 soldiers each semester, Scribner said.
“Really we’re just looking for campus involvement and support just to help fellow Americans out,” she said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
