The Parkesburg Lions Club is once again participating in the Adopt a Soldier Project by supplying Pennsylvania servicemen and women serving overseas with a package from home for the holidays.

Boxes collected this year will go to troops in Kuwait and Egypt. Boxes will be mailed to the units in time for Christmas.

"'We Serve' is our motto, and what better way than sending some PA love to a PA soldier who is serving very, very far from home?" said past Lions district governor Nancy Gauthier, chair of the Pennsylvania Lions Adopt a Soldier Project.

The packages collected locally will be sent to an address that was provided by a Pennsylvania state battalion commanding officer. "(The boxes will all go to) Pennsylvania soldiers, men and women with the Army and Air National Guard," Gauthier noted, explaining their names cannot be released due to security reasons. "They are in a remote area away from any services such as a PX (post exchange)."

Gauthier is collecting the boxes at her home in Parkesburg, and volunteers will prepare the boxes for shipping. "Last year, as a club we sent out 160 boxes," she noted. Assistance was provided by Lions Club members and Gauthier's family members, including her grandson Kaden Salada.

To adopt a soldier, community members are asked to fill a box and to donate the $16.25 needed for postage. "The box needed is a Priority Mail medium-size flat-rate box," explained Gauthier. "You can get the box from the post office."

Items that should be placed in the boxes include food and snacks, toiletries, puzzle books, magazines, board games, handheld video games, decks of cards and DVDs.

"Remember it could be a male or female soldier," Gauthier advised. "Snacks; personal care items; crossword; find-a-word and Sudoku puzzles; playing cards; hard candy; gum; licorice; jerky; socks; bandanas; pens; writing paper; mints; nuts; crackers; trail mix; dried fruit; and magazines are just some ideas. Someone even added a small football and frisbee."

"They will not allow any aerosol cans, solid stick deodorants, fireworks, lighters, matches or alcohol," she added, noting that boxes should be unsealed. "The boxes need to be inspected for customs to ensure they don't have any restricted items."

This year, students in Robin McKenna's class at Octorara Area Elementary School are creating handmade cards and letters to be included in the boxes. McKenna is also a member of the Lions Club.

Those who donate boxes are also welcome to add their own personal notes. "Several people received thank you notes back last year," said Gauthier. "The commander of the battalion sent me a really nice note thanking the Lions Club for doing this and giving back. (He said) it was so much appreciated, and it came at the perfect time that they needed to get something from home."

Boxes will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 3. Those who would like to bring boxes to Gauthier's home are asked to contact her at ngauthier@comcast.net or via the Lions Club Facebook page to arrange a drop-off time. For more information, search for "Parkesburg Lions Club" on Facebook.