Military members sought for Cuddy VFW care packages

Photos and letters hanging on a wall inside the Cuddy VFW, Post 586, aren't there only for show.

For veterans, they're a daily reminder of their ongoing mission.

Gary Vay, who served in Vietnam, reads from one letter written on a piece of loose-leaf notebook paper.

"I also wanted to get that first letter out to let you know how appreciative we are of what you send us. We really enjoy receiving packages, especially the soldiers who don't get very much from back home.

"Now it seems we get more e-mails than hard-copy letters," Vay said.

Post 586 is seeking names of a few more good men and women as part of its annual project to send holiday care packages to soldiers serving overseas.

They're aiming to receive the names and addresses of local family members serving in any branch of the military by the end of next week.

"We're mostly interested right now in getting some community feedback as to who's over there and their address. We're going to start sending them Veterans Day," Vay said. "We want to get them there for the holidays."

Last year, members of St. Benedict the Abbott Church, along with neighboring VFWs and American Legions, collected many goods and helped send more than 55 packages.

"We had probably 15 volunteers for two days at about four hours each day before we got all the packages out of here," Vay said.

He hopes to send packages after Nov. 15 so they arrive at their destinations sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. They will be mailed to an Army Post Office in New York City and then airlifted overseas.

"We send hand wipes, different toiletry articles, candy, PowerBars, soap. Anything they can use over there.

Vay said packages from home were few and far between during his one-year tour of duty in Vietnam.

"My mother and dad tried to send stuff. Things didn't get over there too quickly."