Published: May 06, 2008 09:56 pm            

Louisville business seeks partners to support 201st

Begins efforts with ‘Calling Card-a-thon’

LOUISVILLE — A Louisville-based insurance company is seeking local partners to help make sure members of the 201st Combat Engineer Battalion have some of the things they will need during their yearlong assignment in Afghanistan.

“In late February, several of our associates visited with members of Company C of the Army’s 201st Combat Engineer Battalion in Cynthiana, Ky. A few days later the entire battalion deployed for military service. It was a heartwarming and educational experience for those who attended,” said Mike Morgan of Schwartz and Associates in Louisville. “The sacrifices made every day by the men and women of the military, and their families, are significant. Life goes on while families are apart ... births, deaths, birthdays, illnesses, first steps and first proms are all events to be shared. We decided to recognize an opportunity and express our appreciation.”

The company, which will share all donations with members of the 201st, including those from Olive Hill, Ashland and Prestonsburg, is kicking off the effort with a campaign to provide telephone calling cards to at least 50 families and loved ones, allowing them to call loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan at discounted rates. The “Calling Card-a-thon” continues through May 26.

Morgan said the second half of the effort will be to collect and ship care packages to soldiers serving with the 201st.

“Care packages are a way to send a message of encouragement, with some much-needed comfort items,” he said.

Among the items to be sent to the soldiers are AA batteries, air freshener, antibacterial gel, baby wipes, black socks, blank postcards, board games, body powder, bug spray, canned cheese, playing cards, crossword puzzles, dental floss, deodorant, disposable razors, DVD movies, envelopes, eye drops, fly swatters, foot powder, gallon-size resealable bags, granola bars, hand sanitizer, hard candy, ink pens, insoles, instant soup, lip balm, lollipops, magazines, mints, nasal spray, newspapers, paper for letter writing, paperback books, peanuts, pillows, popcorn, toaster pastries, pretzels, protein bars and powder shakes, cotton swabs, ravioli (with pop-top cans), sanitary napkins, shampoo, shaving cream, shower puffs, small packs of fruit, soap, sunflower seeds, sunscreen, sweetened Kool-Aid, tissues, anti-diarrhea medication, Twizzlers, Velcro, video games and vitamins.

“Any level of support is greatly appreciated and we welcome your participation. Please remember that both of these initiatives are being conducted through the Schwartz Opportunity Support (SOS) Fund, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization,” Morgan said. For more information, call (502) 451-1111.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2651.

        

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