by Gerri Peterson Mullen High School business teacher Mellissa Donohoe is again having her classes write letters for Big Red Battlefield Boxes’ Christmas shipment.
Area residents who would like to contribute to the boxes are invited to drop donations off at the high school office by Wednesday, Nov. 27.
Big Red Battlefield Boxes was started by Jamie and Mandy Einspahr of Wallace. Boxes are sent to troops stationed overseas.
Since 2012 they have packed and sent 581 military boxes to over 200 different troops in over 17 different countries.
They send a wide variety of items, but Jamie said the most commonly requested items are jerky, granola bars or protein bars, nuts and other high protein foods.
Other items they send include hard candy, drink packets, sunflower seeds, tuna packets, beef sticks, dehydrated fruit, Girl Scout Cookies, disposable razors, foot powder, eye drops, hand lotion, lotion, wet wipes, toothpaste, women’s items, batteries, sudoku and crosswords, homemade letters, thank you cards and Christmas cards. They accept all donations, but they cannot ship aerosols or anything that will melt or spoil.
They are planning on sending about 50 boxes for this Christmas shipment, including boxes to 5 women.
Shipping is currently around $25 per box and Jamie figures that each box contains about $70 worth of items.
They ship boxes year round - not just at Christmastime. Usually in March, for the 4th of July, Veterans Day and any other time they have money available for shipping.
If you are interested in donating, you can also mail to: Big Red Battlefield Boxes, c/o Jamie Einspahr, 75875 Road 352, Wallace, NE 69169. They also have an account set up at Western Nebraska Bank in North Platte.