Shoeboxes for Soldiers gets $9,000

On Thursday, a local group collecting Christmas gifts for soldiers had 1,200 shoeboxes to ship overseas but needed about $1,500 within 24 hours to pay for postage.

Their cry for help did not go unheeded by Southeast Missouri residents. By Friday evening, $9,000 had poured in, along with 600 more shoeboxes filled with gifts for soldiers serving in Kuwait and Baghdad. That's in addition to roughly $2,500 donated before Friday.

"I've been in tears all day," said organizer Tina Plaskie of Jackson, whose husband has been stationed in Baghdad since May. "If I could tell those people who donated anything, it would be God bless you and thank you."

Thanks to the additional funds, around 9,000 pounds of popcorn, magazines, candy, clothing, sunscreen and other donated items will be shipped from the Cape Girardeau post office this morning in time to reach the soldiers before Christmas.

Plaskie said from her 8:23 a.m. arrival at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Cape Girardeau on Friday, not five minutes passed without someone stopping by to donate money or shoebox items.

"These people have made Christmas for the soldiers overseas," she said. "If people here working cry and tear up, imagine what the soldiers will do when they see all of these shoeboxes."

Several area businesses and service organizations made donations Friday, including the Jackson Rotary Club.

"I think everybody knows someone who is deployed or is about to be deployed," said Rotary member Steve Skelton. "This was an opportunity to help folks who can't be home for the holidays. Why wouldn't you do it?"

Many donations came from veterans who remember what it's like to be away from home during the holidays.

"It's the least we can do for the soldiers over there," said veteran Gene Rhodes of Cape Girardeau.

Shoeboxes for Soldiers will continue accepting and shipping boxes until Dec. 31. After that, any money left over will go into an emergency relief fund for deployed soldiers.

For more information, call Plaskie 204-7236.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128