DIANE MAKAR MURPHY 116,000 troops stationed in Iraq still need our help

About 116,000 U.S. troops are still in Iraq. As far as Dianne Clark is concerned, those are 116,000 Americans who need to be remembered.
A month ago, Clark, a USO volunteer, asked readers of this column to donate items to our troops overseas, to include those in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea and elsewhere. And readers responded.
"We're doing really well," Clark said. "I get calls every day."
As one older woman dropped off her donation, she told Clark, "I'm on Social Security, and I don't have much, but I brought a few things."
"A few things add up," Clark replied.
Apparently, they do. Clark and her adult son Jeffrey Stine recently drove a "packed, full-size, extended cab pickup truck" to the USO drop-off point in Cleveland.
"And when I get another, I'll bring that up," she said.
Not only are individuals contributing, but church groups as well. Save-a-Lot in Wedgewood Plaza, Austintown, has a box for collections, which Clark adds to her donations.
Another phone call led to Clark's acquiring two volunteers.
"One lady who called has a son in Iraq, and she and her daughter now volunteer," she said.
Three goals
Now Clark wants to expand USO's operation here in Youngstown. She hopes to do three things: Gather names and addresses of service people from the area serving overseas, collect donated items to send to them and make a list of families who may need support.
"I've gotten calls from families who are now living on a reduced salary, and they need help; it's hard to make ends meet. It's a hardship. Often, the service person is a reservist, and this was so unexpected. I know one lady with four children who works at McDonald's," Clark said.
"Children may need help, or families may need help with leaf removal and can't afford to pay someone," she said as examples. "In Cleveland, they have parties for the families and provide support meetings. I'd like to do that here."
Clark also hopes to find a meeting place and to get a branch of the USO right in Youngstown (currently, she just mans a donation drop-off point).
What is needed
In the meantime, however, she continues collecting items for servicemen and women overseas. If you'd like to help, items you might donate include:
Necessities: Bug lotion, gallon-size storage bags, dryer sheets, air fresheners, fly strips and laundry soap.
Food items: Sports drinks, powder drink mixes, tea bags and coffee packets, cups of soup, Ramen noodles, granola bars, trail mix, power bars, dried fruit, nuts, hard or chewy candy, dry cereal (individual servings), gum, cans of applesauce, Cracker Jack, fruit roll-ups, peanut butter (no larger than 12 ounces), seasoning and beef jerky.
Personal hygiene: Small bars of soap, toilet paper, Purell, baby wipes, facial tissue (pocket size), eye drops, hand lotion, toothpaste and deodorant.
Clark has an additional plea this time. She sends along the following letter from USO's Operation Hospital:
"The chaplain at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center has asked for our help in gathering items to help our military men and women who are injured or ill and sent to Landstuhl typically with only combat boots and [battle dress uniforms]," it reads. "This is a wonderful opportunity to wrap them in our love physically by providing T-shirts and shorts, comfortable shoes or slippers."
The USO suggests contributing: sweat pants; gym, mesh or sweat shorts; T-shirts; flip-flops; slippers or shoes; slipper socks; sports bras; boxers; small-size hygiene items; stationery supplies; candy; Burger King coupon books; and disposable cameras.
For a complete list, to make a donation of items, to volunteer or to get more information about support services, you can call Clark at (330) 270-9670. And, as Clark said, a few things add up.
murphy@vindy.com