The College Greens might be against the war in Iraq, but they're also collecting donations for the troops.
Bobbi Page, a member of the College Greens, said sending packages overseas is important to show support for the troops and also to show them there is another party.
The College Greens set up a booth in the SUB Wednesday to collect donations for the troops of the 67th combat support hospital, and schoolchildren in Mosul, Iraq, where the unit is located. The group is accepting nonperishable snack items and school supplies.
Page said the collections started when a soldier in Iraq wrote the New Mexico Greens asking if any other Greens were in Iraq. Communication began between Gerry Dolan, soldier, and the College Greens.
"We were excited to get feedback from Green troops in Iraq," Page said. "He said they were collecting school supplies for primary and middle school children in Iraq. We all wanted to know what we could do, so when I brought that back, everyone was really gung ho about it."
The donations will be packaged and will take a month and a half to arrive in Iraq. They will be sent by Monday so they can arrive in time for the holidays.
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"I went out and bought $150 worth of goodies for the soldiers and school supplies," Page said.
They will be up for sale at the booth, and if purchased, will be put in a box to be shipped. If students want a specific item bought, it will be written on a list for the College Greens to buy.
Three boxes of supplies have been at the booth. Page said there could be more.
"That is not a lot of goodies, especially for American soldiers," Page said. "People have been giving money or purchasing things to send."
Page said they will send everything they have.
"I've been trying to encourage people to write actual letters to soldiers," Page said. "I'm trying to get actual names, but it has been a little slow."
The College Greens will include letters students write to soldiers in the shipment.
