Local auxiliary sending supplies to troops

The back pavilion at American Legion Post 17 resembled a small military operation April 13.

Volunteers from Auxiliary Unit 17 sorted and packed supplies for troops who are deployed overseas. They loaded a pickup truck with boxes full of toiletry items, snacks of all sorts, pens and sleep masks.

The effort started after Dover Air Force Base contacted St. Jude Parish in Lewes, which in turn contacted Post 17.

“The USO sent some of the workers who are usually at Dover overseas. The local USO usually takes care of this stuff, but they said it’s too much,” said Murt Foos, Auxiliary Unit 17 vice president.

Janice Ervin, a St. Jude parishioner and Army veteran, took on the assignment to coordinate with Post 17 and the military. She began working with airman Rahsaan Nickens at Dover AFB on a list of the most critical items.

“He said the items on the list they are either out of or about to run out, and the list kept growing and growing, everything from toothpaste to foot powder. They’re begging for electrolytes for their water and Tabasco sauce to season their food,” Ervin said.

Ervin also attends mass at St. John the Apostle Church in Milford.

She said the deployments are really hitting home for that congregation.

The Rev. Anthony Giamello, pastor at St. John’s and St. Bernadette’s in Harrington, and a chaplain at Dover AFB, volunteered to go overseas. He left April 9.

“He informed us that he was leaving, and he was going to go where he was needed,” Ervin said. 

The donations began pouring into Post 17 on Saturday: toiletry items, nonperishable snacks and flashlights, among other items.

Some of the requests are very specific: Pringles in cans are good, but chips in bags are not, because they are easily crushed.

The Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club gave $1,000 toward the collection effort. The VFW in Milford and Mission BBQ in Rehoboth Beach have also gotten on board.

Ervin is hoping to engage nondenominational churches and national organizations, such as the Gary Sinise Foundation, which does a lot to help veteran causes.

She said right now, many of the regular mail services to the Middle East have been suspended indefinitely because of the war, so there is no estimate on when the supplies might actually reach the troops on land or at sea.

Donated items, including monetary donations, can be dropped off at American Legion Post 17, 113 American Legion Road, Lewes.

An Amazon shopping list has been set up where items can be purchased. There is also an account for monetary donations at zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/the-dover-air-force-uso-via-american-legion-auxiliary-unit--17.

For more information, contact Post 17 by emailing info@alpost17.com.