Operation Support Our Troops Packs Boxes for 1000 Service Members

Operation Support Our Troops Shreveport held a packing day event on Saturday. Volunteers from across the region converged on the Pines Road Self Storage Center to pack boxes of treats and basic hygiene items for soldiers deployed overseas.

The shipment is scheduled to arrive in time for the 4th of July holiday. This shipment will go to two separate groups of military, 400 in one location and 600 in another location. These are our troops serving in isolated parts of the world where some basic necessities might be in short supply.

If you missed todays event, you can still help. The group needs money to pay for the shipping. This shipment will cost apporoximately $2,000. Tax deductible checks can be made out to OSOT, Inc. and can be sent to the following address:

OSOT, Inc Shreveport Chapter

c/o Shirley Olivieri-Mathies, Chairman 243 Justin Avenue Shreveport, LA 71105

I dropped by for a few minutes to drop off some items listeners donated and this is such an organized operation handled completely by volunteers. There is one room for hygiene items like shampoo, razors, soap, sunscreen, etc and another room for food items and snack. Volunteers simply take large ziploc bags and go down the isle putting one item in each bag. These bags are then boxed up and prepared for shipping.

If you would like to donate items for the next shipment, here's a list of the drop off sites.

The next packing date is on Saturday, November 12th. This will be the holiday shipment. If you would like to help collect items, here's a list of things they will need:

Instant hot chocolate mix/coffee/tea, containers of coffee cream & sugar, instant oatmeal/grits, tuna in foil packs, Ramen noodle and instant cup-a-soups (not for microwave) in any flavor but pork,crackers, tube socks, non-aerosol athlete foot medication/shaving gel, Blistex/Chapstick, blank Christ mas cards to send their families (no overtly religious themes), small game (left unwrapped), puzzle books, hand made Christmas cards and/or artwork made by children,  notes/letters of appreciation & encouragement.