MARTIN SLOANE \ Supermarket Shopper Give our troops the gift of savings this season

As we approach the holidays, please consider giving a special gift: An envelope of grocery coupons, which families of our servicemen and women stationed overseas will welcome. Living in these foreign countries involves many challenges, not the least of which is stretching a tight grocery budget. Commissaries help by accepting manufacturer's coupons up to six months past their expiration dates. In the last three years, my readers have sent them more than 12 million coupons.
If helping appeals to you, consider these reports from readers who have participated in the effort:
Dear Martin: We asked friends and neighbors to help send coupons to families overseas. Members of the Holy Family Church bingo group are saving coupons for us. So are the Rev. Sauter and his parishioners at United Church of Christ. Dave and Darlene Means from the Salvation Army are helping us mail the packages. Our children are writing letters and making crafts to include in the packages. They love helping out. Thank you for the idea. Laura Yuhaniak, Latrobe, Pa.
Dear Martin: After reading your story about sending coupons to service families, I selected an Army base in Holland, because I have traveled there to visit the birthplace of my paternal grandfather.
I have half a dozen friends who give me their Sunday coupon inserts. I clip out the grocery coupons and send out a package twice a month. I have sent out more than 20,000 coupons since I started. Last week, the person who distributes the coupons wrote to me, "Please let everyone know we greatly appreciate the coupons." It is so gratifying to know that our American military families serving around the world are being helped by fellow Americans. Emily Rose Burch, Greensburg, Pa.
Dear Martin: I have received long letters from military wives, expressing their thanks. They write about their lives, their children and their loneliness being away from home. Some letters bring tears to my eyes. I feel so good that a little time and effort can help comfort them. Harriet Eagle, Seal Beach, Calif.
Here are answers to frequently asked questions:
UWhat kind of coupons should I send? Send coupons for the products you recognize as well-known brands. Commissaries overseas stock many thousands of them, from Armour to Ziploc. Baby coupons are always useful.
UCan I send the whole Sunday inserts? Please don't. You are wasting postage and it takes too long for the volunteers who distribute the coupons.
UShould I sort the coupons? No, but please try to clip them neatly.
UShould we send coupons to military families here in the United States? It's not necessary, because they have access to coupons just the way we do.
I recently received this note from Shari Watanabe, program manager, Fleet and Family Support Center, Yokosuka, Japan: We personally want to thank all of you for your donated coupons. Your effort and kindness has not gone unnoticed. The families here often comment on the time and effort that must go into clipping and sending the coupons and they truly appreciate you.
Each day, we get dozens of families coming in to pick up coupons at our three offices in Japan -- Ikego, Yokosuka and Yokohama. The families report they save $30 to $40 a week on their grocery bills, all because of your effort on the home front. We have your addresses in our database and will send you a note every three months to let you know we are receiving your coupons. If you prefer, you can receive e-mail communications by providing us with your e-mail address with the next coupons you send. Or, you can contact us personally at any of our e-mail addresses. Watanabe.Shari@cnrfe.navy.mil, Smith.Deborah@cnrfe.navy.mil or Davitt.Jana@cnrfe.navy.mil.
Here are addresses you can send your coupons including Shari's three offices:
UJana Davitt, Fleet & amp; Family Support Center (COMFLEACT Yokosuka) PSC 473, Box 116, FPO AP 96349-0116.
UDebbie Smith, Fleet & amp; Family Support Center (COMFLEACT Ikego) PSC 474, Box 700, FPO AP 96351-0007.
UMiharu Kurawaka, Fleet & amp; Family Support Center (COMFLEACT Yokohama), PSC 472, Box 8, FPO AP 96348-1150.
ULeah Audrey Sechong, Marine Corps Community Services, Personal Services Center, Camp Courtney, Unit 35026, Box 112, FPO AP 96379-0112.
You will find additional addresses as well as helpful information on my column support Web site: www.martinsloane.com, scroll down to the section and click on "Please Lend a Helping Hand!"
My sincere thanks to all of my readers who lend a helping hand.
XSend questions and comments to Martin Sloane in care of The Vindicator. The volume of mail precludes individual replies to every letter, but Martin Sloane will respond to letters of general interest in the column.
United Feature Syndicate