LIVERMORE FALLS – Boxes of goods are being packed. Handmade Christmas cards are being stuffed. Envelopes being addressed. They will all be heading to Afghanistan soon to brighten Christmas Day for soldiers.
Lorraine Cushing of Livermore Falls was in the midst of packing items on Wednesday that will be sent to her daughter, Jerrica Richards, who is deployed with the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan.
Richards, a 2007 graduate of Livermore Falls High School, will play Santa as she distributes the gifts to others, Cushing said.
This year, Livermore Elementary School fifth-grader Madeline Timberlake of Livermore spearheaded a Christmas card-making operation. The cards, a variety of shapes and sizes will be stuffed with international calling cards.
Cushing looked over the 43 cards, some depicting planes dropping presents down to soldiers, and most with messages from the heart in them.
“Thank you for all you do,” was written in one card. Another had Merry Christmas and the writer wrote that he or she was sorry the soldiers could not be home with family on the special day. One more said they appreciate the soldiers commitment to help others.
Cushing’s getting help to achieve her goal once again from the community, family, friends, and members of the American Legion George Bunten Post 10 and Unit 10 Ladies Auxiliary in Livermore Falls.
Coming from a military family, including her children serving, she tries to do something each year to help soldiers overseas.
Last year, 50 boxes were shipped to Afghanistan and 50 to Iraq where her son, Aaron Richards and his wife, Ashley were serving.
This year the goal is to possibly send 25 boxes packed with goods, including peanuts, Twizzlers, books, Wet Ones, shampoo, body lotion and other items that are hard to obtain in the Middle East.
“We’re trying to provide items that soldiers would have difficulty obtaining,” Cushing said.
Those will be in addition to the cards.
The group is still collecting monetary donations and gift cards such as from Walmart, so that soldiers can go on-line and buy what they need, Cushing said.
Donations may be dropped off at Jo’s Hair Fashion and Otis Federal Credit Union in Jay to support the troops.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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- Lorraine Cushing, center, of Livermore Falls is once again spearheading an effort to send gifts to soldiers for Christmas in Afghanistan. This year besides snacks, toiletries and other hard-to-get items, some soldiers will get handmade cards from students at Livermore Elementary School. Helping Cushing on Tuesday were Kassidy Bradford, Cushing’s daughter, Brooke Cushing, Gail Kerns-Dube, president of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 10, and her husband, John Dube, commander of American Legion Post 10 in Livermore Falls.
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