ARTICLE
Those serving our country are oftentimes stationed far away from their home, family, and friends, and this can be especially difficult for them over the holidays. To show our troops that they are being thought of and their sacrifice appreciated, the students of the Bucks IU at Samuel Everitt have again undertaken a ‘Stockings for Soldiers’ campaign. Now in its third year, this program has expanded from sending just a few dozen stockings in year one to a whopping 764 stockings just 2 years later! An exciting part of this program is the students with special needs that are at the heart of making this all come together. With their teachers and support staff, an assembly line is set-up and each student assigned a task that best allows them to learn and practice skills while also participating and showing their support. From sorting donated items to making cards to actually collecting the items and stuffing them into the stockings, everyone is included and an integral part in making this the huge success it has become. The stockings were stuffed with a wonderful variety of items such as snacks and candy, personal hygiene products, holiday cards, stationary items, and books. In addition to the 764 stockings, a total of 16 boxes of even more goodies and supplies were also packaged up for shipping out to the troops. The majority of the boxes are being sent to the 13th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), a group of Marines who are currently deployed in classified locations working with ongoing operations. Boxes are also sent to Marines with the 3rd Battalion, currently deployed in Japan, and Airmen with the 380 EAMXS (Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron), currently deployed in the United Arab Emirates. This program’s success is largely due to the support and donations we received from a wide variety of businesses and organizations. Our sincere thanks to several Giant stores (Fairless Hills, Langhorne, Morrisville, Southampton, and Yardley), Redner’s (Levittown), and Sam’s Club (Langhorne), for their very kind donations. The Bucks County Intermediate Unit Education Foundation provided a $600 grant for the purchase of the stockings, and Fore the Troops; a nonprofit charitable organization that raises money to support philanthropic organization focused on programs and support of military personnel and their families, delivered a generous $2500 grant to cover the cost of shipping. Thank you to Let’s Bake Cookie Company (Bensalem), Kiddie Academy (Feasterville), and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (Doylestown) for serving as drop off points for public donations and the students from the IU HOPE program (New Hope-Solebury School District) and Samuel Everitt for collecting all these items for us.
Those serving our country are oftentimes stationed far away from their home, family, and friends, and this can be especially difficult for them over the holidays. To show our troops that they are being thought of and their sacrifice appreciated, the students of the Bucks IU at Samuel Everitt have again undertaken a ‘Stockings for Soldiers’ campaign. Now in its third year, this program has expanded from sending just a few dozen stockings in year one to a whopping 764 stockings just 2 years later!
An exciting part of this program is the students with special needs that are at the heart of making this all come together. With their teachers and support staff, an assembly line is set-up and each student assigned a task that best allows them to learn and practice skills while also participating and showing their support. From sorting donated items to making cards to actually collecting the items and stuffing them into the stockings, everyone is included and an integral part in making this the huge success it has become.
The stockings were stuffed with a wonderful variety of items such as snacks and candy, personal hygiene products, holiday cards, stationary items, and books. In addition to the 764 stockings, a total of 16 boxes of even more goodies and supplies were also packaged up for shipping out to the troops.
The majority of the boxes are being sent to the 13th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), a group of Marines who are currently deployed in classified locations working with ongoing operations. Boxes are also sent to Marines with the 3rd Battalion, currently deployed in Japan, and Airmen with the 380 EAMXS (Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron), currently deployed in the United Arab Emirates.
This program’s success is largely due to the support and donations we received from a wide variety of businesses and organizations. Our sincere thanks to several Giant stores (Fairless Hills, Langhorne, Morrisville, Southampton, and Yardley), Redner’s (Levittown), and Sam’s Club (Langhorne), for their very kind donations. The Bucks County Intermediate Unit Education Foundation provided a $600 grant for the purchase of the stockings, and Fore the Troops; a nonprofit charitable organization that raises money to support philanthropic organization focused on programs and support of military personnel and their families, delivered a generous $2500 grant to cover the cost of shipping. Thank you to Let’s Bake Cookie Company (Bensalem), Kiddie Academy (Feasterville), and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (Doylestown) for serving as drop off points for public donations and the students from the IU HOPE program (New Hope-Solebury School District) and Samuel Everitt for collecting all these items for us.