Fact Box

Drop-off locations

Items can be dropped off through Nov. 18 at Smith Furniture, Route 764, Duncansville, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

Additional drop-off locations include:

- Ace Hardware, Route 764, Duncansville

- First Commonwealth Bank, Third Avenue, Duncansville

- Gem's Styling Salon, Spang Street, Roaring Spring

- The Flower Connection, Route 220, Claysburg

- Carpet Depot, Route 220, Claysburg

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List of accepted items for the 2009 campaign

An annual campaign to support soldiers is under way and seeking donations for its sixth year.

Operation S.O.S. [Support Our Soldiers] sends Christmas packages to troops serving overseas, and this year's recipient is the 82nd Airborne Division, based out of Fort Bragg, N.C., project coordinator Gary Clare said Friday.

During the past five years, the campaign has sent more than 1,500 boxes to troops. Last year, the campaign sent more than 400 boxes to Iraq to members of the 56th Stryker Brigade, based in Altoona and Tyrone, and the 101st Airborne Division, Clare said.

From nursing home residents to school students, people in the community support the effort, Clare said.

Clare, a military veteran, knows what it's like to serve far from home and that some of those serving don't receive care packages, he said of the purpose behind the campaign.

Canned goods, glass jars or aerosol cans or items that have expired or will expire by the end of the year are not being accepted.

The campaign is accepting food and drink items such as nuts, microwave popcorn, beef jerky and individual powdered mix for drinks; toiletry items such as liquid hand sanitizer and feminine hygiene products; and miscellaneous items such as AT&T International phone cards and hand-written cards and thank you notes.

The campaign is accepting donations until Nov. 18, and items will ship in early December.

To keep homemade food items such as cookies fresh, do not drop them off before Nov. 23, Clare said.

For more information, call Clare at 695-5635 or e-mail smithfurniture@verizon

.net.