As people in the U.S. move toward the end of the year and celebrate a time of giving and togetherness, organizations across the nation help ease the strain on the troops overseas.
Organizations and students on campus and in the area are pulling together to show support for the men and women fighting for freedom Americans take for granted.
"We take things for granted," said Mary Catherine Stewart, senior in public relations. "Regardless if you support the war, you need to support the troops. You can support them without supporting the war if that's the case."
As Auburn's Director of Benevolence, Stewart coordinates all the philanthropies with each sorority.
Thanks to Stewart, instead of individual sororities giving to an organization, the 17 sororities are pulling together to give to the troops a personalized gift during the holidays.
Stewart decided to organize "Sisters for Soldiers" because her brother, Capt. Bryan Stewart, served in central Iraq as an Army tank commander from October 2007 to December 2008.
"Auburn students need to remember it's not just 30, 40 and 50 year olds fighting for us over there. It's people our age," Stewart said. "I mean, they're carrying two fully loaded weapons around at all times while we just go out and do whatever we do without thinking about it."
Stewart is expecting to collect 100 care packages from each sorority on campus, and she has an overall goal of sending 2,000 boxes to the troops overseas.
"I think it's hard for students to identify and reach out to elderly, but it should be easy to identify with a 21-year-old soldier," Stewart said.
Stewart is asking the sororities to send items the soldiers want, not necessarily what they need. This way the boxes are more like gifts than necessity care packages.
"My brother liked it when I sent him things like remote control cars, baseballs and footballs," Stewart said. "They always get things they need, we're asking the girls to send things that they want for the little down time they get."
Kelly Mezick, first year graduate student in secondary English and language arts education, also has a brother in the military overseas, and she has a similar mission to help with the same motive as Stewart.
"When I was talking to my brother a few weeks ago, he was saying some people don't get anything like mail or packages," Mezick said. "It broke my heart to hear that."
Mezick's brother, Pvt. Kyle Mezick, is in the Army's fourth striker combat brigade, 2nd infantry division, stationed in Camp Liberty, Iraq.
"They're over there getting shot at, and we don't want them to think we've forgotten them especially on Christmas," Mezick said.
Mezick is asking people from the Valley area, including Auburn students, to help her remind the soldiers during the holiday season that their efforts are appreciated and their presence at home is missed.
She is asking for civilians to write Christmas cards for the 400 members of her brother's unit.
"It's a young unit, and it's the first time most of them have been away from home during the holidays," Mezick said. "I'm just asking people to make Christmas cards for the troops. It can be store bought, construction paper or a leaf folded in half with a simple 'thank you' or 'we're thinking of you' for the holidays."
By bringing the holidays to the troops, Mezick and Stewart said they hope to make the troops more realistic for people back here.
"I just want people to be able to put a face on the war effort like I have," Mezick said. "I mean, my brother is flying an Auburn flag in Baghdad right now."
Dan Lovell, junior in microbiology, was stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from October 2007 to May 2008.
"We weren't around our families during the holidays, and that was probably the hardest thing," Lovell said. "We were over there and we were each others' family."
Getting simple things to remind him of home meant a lot during the holidays.
"A Christmas tree from someone and homemade cookies meant so much," Lovell said. "Little things that made me feel like I was home."
In this time of year when giving is prevalent, there are organizations, not only around Auburn, but around the nation showing the men and women they remember, appreciate and are thankful for the work they are doing for their country.
"It doesn't have to be a Christmas card, maybe just a 'thank you' or a simple 'thinking about you' is more than enough," Lovell said.
For more information on ways to contribute to Stewart's "Sister for Soldiers" organization and Panhellenic's efforts to support the troops during the holidays, e-mail stewamc@auburn.edu.
For more information on helping Mezick reach her goal of sending more than 400 hundred cards overseas, e-mail mezicka@auburn.edu.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
