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Blue Star Mothers
Lake Erie New York Chapter 4 of the Blue Star Mothers of America will again this year be collecting items and cards and letters to send to our deployed troops. This will be the 9th consecutive Christmas that we have been able to send care packages, and we could never do what we do without the support of our amazing community.
Last year, though the generous donations of our community, we were able to send 508 care packages to our deployed military men and woman serving all over the world, heroes serving away from their families at Christmas. It’s the time of year that most families come together to celebrate, but many are on the other side of the world from their loved ones, serving in dangerous places.
Sending them boxes of love from home is a way for our chapter and our community to reach out to them. In doing so we let them know that they are being thought of and supported from home. We have been told by those receiving these care packages that it raises their morale to know that they are being thought of by American citizens who don’t even know them, but just wanted to reach out to show their appreciation for their service.
The cost to send each box is $15.80, bringing the cost of last year’s Christmas collections to over $8,000.00. Our hope is to send that many or perhaps more, as we know we will have many troops deployed this year.
We have started collecting and we will continue until November 30. We will be organizing our collections at 6p.m. on December 1. We will begin packing our Christmas Care Packages at 9a.m. on Saturday December 3 at the Fluvanna Community Church, 3363 Fluvanna Ave, Jamestown, NY.
Our community is welcome to come and join us and help us to pack our care packages. It is heartwarming to watch as our community comes together to show their support by helping to pack a box to two…or more! We have had veterans, Cub Scout and Girl Scout troops, school children, senior citizens and everyone in between there to help pack collections that they have donated. It is a site to see that will warm your heart for the entire year!
We have been told many times that one of the favorite items that are placed in the boxes are cards and letters from home. They love the homemade Christmas cards from the children, and the notes of support from all. We have asked in years prior for people to consider taking a box of Christmas cards along with you as your family gathers for Thanksgiving. While you are all around the table, pass them out for everyone to fill out a card thanking a military member for their service, even if it is just a simple “thank you” on the outside of the envelope. You can place these cards in any of our collection boxes and we will be sure to place them on the top of the box so it is the first thing they see when they open their care package.
A list of items that we suggest, and a list of locations where our collection boxes are located can be found below.
If you have a loved one who will be deployed this Christmas, please send their address to us so that we can add them to our list and send them a care package full of love from home.
We appreciate any item or monetary donations you can make to help us with this year’s care packages. If you would like to make a donation, we are registered as a non-profit 501c3. If you contact us, we will be happy to forward you that information.
You may contact us by email at bluestarmothersny4@yahoo.com. Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/Blue-Star-Mothers-Lake-Erie-NY-4-309164629109442/?fref=tsok and our website is http://www.bluestarmotherswny.com/.
2016 Collection Sites
- Heritage Village
- Heritage Green
- Heritage Park
- Cradle to Rocker Consignment Boutique
- Tim Hortons – Brooklyn Square; North Main Street; Falconer;
- Lakewood Starbucks
- Lake Shore Savings Bank (All Locations)
- Key Bank – Lakewood (across from Walmart)
- Community Bank – North Main & W. Oak Hill Rd
- Cathy Young’s Jamestown Office
- Southwestern High School
- Cassadaga Valley High School
- Cassadaga Job Corps
- Jamestown High School
- Striders at JHS
- Zion Lutheran Church
- Kiantone Congregational Church
- Jamestown 1st Presbyterian Church
- St. Lukes Episcopal Church Jamestown
- Levant Church in Falconer
- Busti Federated Church
- Jamestown Community Chapel
- Panama United Methodist Church
- Christ First United Methodist Church
- Jamestown Free Methodist Church
- Fluvanna Community Church
- Jamestown Free Methodist Church
- Bemus Point Elementary
- Zion Covenant Church
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (Bemus Point)
- Bemus Point United Methodist Church
- Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
- Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care in Lakewood
- The Hazeltine Library in Busti
- Adecco Services
- Anderson Cleaners
- Ashville General Store
- Jamestown Ice Arena
Click here for the complete donation list!
