Group brings aid, support to soldiers

By Ashley Bach
Seattle Times Eastside bureau

	ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES Sheryl Sheaffer, left, who has two sons in the military, and Shannon Spencer, who has enlisted in the Air Force, box holiday mailings for soldiers.
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With helicopters falling from the sky and soldiers attacked each day in Iraq, the focus back home is all wrong, according to thousands of concerned military parents and residents across Western Washington who have shown an interest in Operation Support Our Troops.

The group was formed in January in response to anti-war protests: Instead of politics and presidents, the thoughts of Americans should be on the young adults risking their lives.

	ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES Blaine Anderson sets out 70 American flags to line his driveway for Operation Support Our Troops, where more than 1,500 Christmas gift packages for military in the Middle East will be put together today.

"We don't want to take a stand. It's not political," said Nadine Gulit, an Issaquah resident whose grandson is stationed in Afghanistan. "The kids we're supporting because they're giving up a big portion of their lives."

After several months of rallies, the group is putting together huge Christmas boxes of food, toys and decorations to send to as many as 2,000 troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea and Germany. Hundreds of supporters will be putting the gift packs together today in a barn near Maple Valley, and they're looking for more help and donations.

A handful of group leaders set up the barn yesterday, stacking tables high with beach balls, hot-chocolate mix, potato chips, peanut butter, board games, artificial Christmas trees, baseball caps and playing cards. Other tables were full of packs of gum, Starburst, whistles, chocolate coins, bobby pins, toothbrushes and hair scrunchies.

"The idea is to give them the whole sight, sense and smell of home," said Liz Jackson, an Air Force veteran whose son is stationed in South Korea.

Most of the material was donated. McDonald's gave cookies. Starbucks gave bags of coffee. Jack In The Box sent bags of Seahawk antenna balls. Schoolchildren gave the change from their piggy banks.

"This is Western Washington outdoing itself," said Sheryl Sheaffer, Gulit's daughter, whose son is serving in the Army 10th Mountain Division.

Some requests came from the soldiers themselves, such as the unit that needs hundreds of pairs of sunglasses, or another that's looking for mousetraps. Many other units have soldiers who never hear their name during mail call. They'll each be receiving stockings or some sort of package, Sheaffer said.

Operation Support Our Troops came together after Gulit, Sheaffer and a couple of other people met at a rally near Tacoma and decided to organize. E-mail addresses and names were gathered at rallies for several months, and the mailing list grew to 3,000 people. They've held events from Centralia to Everett, including a huge rally near Bellevue Square last spring.

How to help Operation Support Our Troops is gathering at 11 a.m. today at 20245 S.E. 192nd St. near Maple Valley to pack Christmas boxes for U.S. troops abroad. The public is welcome to help. The group is also seeking donations and help for future projects. Donations can be sent to 306 221st Ave. N.E., Sammamish, WA 98074, or ask about the group's account at any Washington Mutual branch. For more information, contact Sheryl Sheaffer at 425-868-5075 or (sheaffers@comcast.net).

Involvement has dropped since summer, but group leaders are hoping the gift boxes will be the start of a new burst of activity. They're planning similar events for Valentine's Day, the Iraq war's first anniversary, Easter and Fourth of July.

Their goal is always a boost in morale. Kris Bailey, who serves on the USS Abraham Lincoln out of Everett, helped set up yesterday and said the gifts should go a long way with the troops.

"To realize you've touched the heart of people you've never met before, the feeling is just overwhelming," Bailey said.

Ashley Bach: 206-464-2567 or abach@seattletimes.com

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