For almost a month, members of the Chesterfield Jaycees collected donations for items to go to the U.S. troops for Christmas.  We donated them ourselves; we collected them from friends and family and coworkers.  When it was all over, we had collected enough items to fill 50 bags for the troops!!!

Items donated were individually wrapped candies, microwave popcorn, cards, games, batteries, DVDs, and many others.

We got together on December 2, 2006 for a "stocking stuffer party" and got everything ready.  The CACI company in Colonial Heights graciously offered to mail the bags for us.

The troops appreciated the items greatly and sent us a letter of thanks.  An excerpt from that letter is shown under the pictures below.

Thanks to everyone who donated time or items to this hugely successful project.

YAY ELLEN!

Volunteers meet to put together the stockings/bags for the troops

At the end of the night, we had 50 bags for the troops!

Ellen meets with Jim of CACI, the Colonial Heights company that mailed the packages for us

An excerpt of a letter of thanks from the troops!