Ottawan collecting items for troop packages

Barb Nelson will collect items for the packages through this month and send them by the first of June.

“It’s nice for them to get care packages of stuff from people back home,” Nelson said.

Nelson is seeking a variety of items including candy and snacks, gum, underwear, personal and feminine hygiene products and other handy products.

“Basically the same sort of stuff we use is what they’ll use but they don’t have access to as much,” Nelson said.

Certain items, especially food items with pork, are no-nos in a Muslim country, she said. The U.S. military takes particular pains to ensure such items don’t get into the country, she said.

Nelson said she intends to cram the boxes as full as possible.

For information on items needed, Nelson can be reached at Ottawa Municipal Court at (785) 242-5333.

Donations can be dropped off in a drop box in the Ottawa Police Department’s lobby from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 People who have cards and other greetings to the troops also are welcome to drop them off, and they’ll be included in the boxes, she said.

Nelson has a list of area service people to send the care packages to, but she is also looking for more names.

Under the Pentagon’s rules, packages can’t be shipped to Iraq unless they’re addressed to individual service members, she said.