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• Thursday, December 12, 2013

  Legion Sends 88 Boxes to Troops

  WAYLAND — Theodore R. Van Tassel American Legion Post 402 in Wayland sent 88 care packages to soldiers and airmen overseas as part of its annual Hometown Heroes holiday spirit project involving the Wayland community and local 4-H members.

  

  Eighty-eight care packages are being sent to soldiers serving overseas as part of the Wayland American Legion’s annual Hometown Heroes program. Legion members, local 4-Hers and Wayland community members came together to donate, pack and ship the boxes in time for Christmas.

  The boxes are going to seven alumni of the Wayland-Cohocton school district serving in Afghanistan, South Korea, Turkey and Kuwait.

  Auxiliary member Rochelle Sulli told the Genesee Country Express that the goods were sorted, categorized, packed and taped all within an hour and ten minutes, a record. She said the teamwork was “awesome.”

  The newspaper reported that the boxes were packed on Sunday (Dec. 8) and dropped off at the Post Office Monday afternoon. Sulli expects them to arrive within ten days to two weeks, depending on where the service members are stationed.

  Post Commander Kevin Mark told the paper that it took three trips in two trucks to deliver the boxes to the Post Office, and over $1,000 in shipping charges.

  “We don’t even bat an eye at that cost,” the newspaper quoted Mark. “That’s why the Legion is around.”

  Reporter Colleen Mahoney wrote that the care packages included letters from home and Christmas cards, candy and items that are hard to come by overseas. Sulli explained the three soldiers deployed in Afghanistan received a few more boxes than the others stationed in South Korea, Turkey or Kuwait since they don’t have access to many of the amenities they grew up with.