Moraine Park hosting Christmas in a Shoebox donation drive

students fill boxes of donations for military members in beaver dam cafeteria

As the holiday season approaches, Moraine Park Technical College is offering a simple way to give back and show support for the men and women who are serving our country overseas.

In order to make their time a little more enjoyable away from home this holiday season, students and staff from Moraine Park’s Beaver Dam campus are conducting a “Christmas in a Shoebox” drive again with donations being accepted until Friday Nov. 3.  

Donations can be dropped off at room K-323 on the Beaver Dam campus or with the Student Veterans Specialist on the Fond du Lac campus Monday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.   Moraine Park’s goal is to collect enough items to fill at least 100 shoe box sized packages and have them in the hands of servicemen and women stationed overseas by the holidays.

The packages will be assembled on Nov. 8 on the Beaver Dam campus and students, staff and individuals from Bright Futures will also have the opportunity to fill out note cards to send a personal message of encouragement, or holiday wishes.

Items donated should be new and no larger than shoe box-sized. Suggested items include personal hygiene items like deodorant, eye drops, Q-tips, and baby wipes; snacks consisting of beef jerky, sunflowers seeds, nuts, granola bars and flavored drink mixes; and miscellaneous entertainment items like current magazines, paperback books, card games like UNO or other small travel games.

Event organizers said sending items like these is a great way to let the service members know they’re remembered and helps bring a little joy around the holidays.

Moraine Park’s 2017 “Christmas in a Shoebox” drive is in partnership with Bright Futures of Beaver Dam, an organization that provides employment solutions for people with disabilities, Support the Troops WI of Hartford, which helps send care packages to military members, Beaver Dam Student Senate and the college’s Student Veterans Association (SVA).

For questions on “Christmas in a Shoebox,” contact Lisa Manuell at lmanuell@morainepark.edu or 920-887-4462, or Steve Pepper at spepper1@morainepark.edu or 920-924-3489.

Written by admin