Nov 11, 2009 10:43 pm US/Central
Ind. Business Creates Care Packages For Soldiers
CROWN POINT, Ind. (CBS) ―
-
-
Sgt. Steven Rathjen says serving on the front lines gets tough with cramped conditions.
CBS
Some U.S. soldiers on the front lines in Afghanistan need your help. They're missing the little things we all take for granted. Things like toothpaste and hand wipes that make life more bearable. CBS 2 Pamela Jones reports that a Northwest Indiana business is working to change all that. They're prepared to help soldiers from the Chicago area.
Sergeant Steven Rathjen says there are some soldiers who never even get care packages. So those who do share. This holiday season he's hoping for more gifts to go around.
You see the patriotism everywhere at the Rathjens. The salute and the flags, the banner welcoming Sgt. Steven Rathjen home.
Rathjen is serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. He was originally scheduled to come home for good in July. But the conflict now means he'll serve for 14 months longer, most of it in a combat area.
"There's still a lot of work to do," said Sgt. Rathjen.
He says serving on the front lines gets tough with cramped conditions, a shack troops made for a shower; and when they relax, even baseball means finding anything they can to use for a ball.
But an area business has the answer this season. Century 21 Pace Realtors in Crown Point, Ind. have spent the last month packing care boxes for Rathjen and other soldiers. It's stuff donated from area businesses to make life a little easier.
"We did get a list from the moms of what they wanted in the packages, and we tried to accommodate that as much as we could," said Kim Brown, Century 21 Pace Realtors.
"My father died from injuries he suffered in the war, leaving three children and a widower," said Roger Pace, Century 21 Pace Realtors. "If we can, for a moment, put a smile on their face, or maybe take them away from the ravages of war, then we've made our mark."
For the soldiers in Rathjen's unit, a small gesture means the world.
"When people send the stuff randomly in packages, it's awesome," Rathjen said.
Rathjen says a lot of the soldiers work out and want protein, so they'd like to get the packets of tuna or chicken you can find at the grocery store.
The Realtors are going to make this an official company project. They want to make this a year-round thing.
If you'd like to help, you can call Century 21 Pace Realtors at (219) 663-3090.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
The Tattooed Ladies of Hollywood
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments