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TRACY HIGH SCHOOL’S PEACE CLUB PACKS CARE BOXES FOR TROOPS OVERSEAS

TRACY HELPING TROOPS OVERSEAS: Tracy Students and staff in front of the goodies collected for the troops overseas. Principal Jeff Green, third from left, who's son was stationed in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot years ago once told his dad "the boxes were a god-send." He joked they could sell a can of Chef-Boy-R Dee for $20 if they wanted. Money donations are also accepted, each box sent cost $17.90. The last possible date to contribute to the gift boxes is December 20th. Donations should go to Tracy ASB or contact 562.926.5566 extension 22201. Photo by Tammye McDuff.

TRACY HELPING TROOPS OVERSEAS: Tracy Students and staff in front of the goodies collected for the troops overseas. Principal Jeff Green, third from left, who’s son was stationed in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot years ago once told his dad “the boxes were a god-send.” He joked they could sell a can of Chef-Boy-R Dee for $20 if they wanted. Money donations are also accepted, each box sent cost $17.90. The last possible date to contribute to the gift boxes is December 20th. Donations should go to Tracy ASB or contact 562.926.5566 extension 22201. Photo by Tammye McDuff.

 

By Tammye McDuff

For the past eight years the Peace Club [Club] of Tracy / Wilbur High School has gathered goods to ship to our military troops overseas.

Pablo Vega, Tracy Activities Director said,  “We have been donating care boxes to the troops for the last eight years.  The Peace Club here at the high school actually brought the idea to our attention, and every year we send out close to 90 care boxes.”

The care boxes are packed full of snack items, stationary, DVD’s and CD’s, batteries, sunscreen, chapstick and just about every other item essential to everyday needs.

Local elementary schools write letters or draw pictures and each care box receives one of each.

Principal, Jeff Green added that many of the schools in the district wanted to participate, “Hawaiian Elementary held a fundraiser and donated $400 for the care boxes; Carmenita Middle School donated 20 boxes of goods and individual donations from parents, students and teachers have poured in from all over the district. This is the most we have ever received.”

Names and addresses of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are requested from the ABCUSD or from those students who have family stationed overseas.

A few years ago Green’s son was stationed in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot. The Club sent boxes to him, to be delivered to the troops on the ground. “My son told me these boxes were a ‘god-send’,” recalls Green, “They loved the letters from the children and bartered with each other for some of the snacks. I understand that a can of Chef Boyardee Ravioli would auction off for $20.”

Alviso has been with Tracy High School for 42 years. The Peace Club is a voluntary group that meets during their lunch break to discuss alternatives to violence, “We talk about global issues and local issues,” adds Alviso, “we also want our students to understand you can be against war and violence, but still support our troops.”

If the community would like to donate items, the Club could use more items to keep the troops occupied such as soccer balls, hacky sacks, puzzles, games, books, DVD and of course letters. “Letters and cards to our soldiers stationed in other countries means so much to them,” says Pat Alviso, Peace club Advisor,  “just to let them know we miss them, and want them to come home safely.”

Money donations are also accepted, each box sent cost $17.90. The last possible date to contribute to the gift boxes is December 20th. Donations should go to Tracy ASB or contact 562.926.5566 extension 22201.