District 15 Supports our Troops
On May 16, 2010, District 15 kicked off a “Support our Troops” collection drive to support the efforts of the Yellow Ribbon Girls (YRG). The YRG was started in 2003 by sisters Bonnie and Patti Phillippi and Vicky Henley whose brother, then Major John Stich, was serving in Iraqi Freedom. The sisters began by making yellow ribbons for the families of soldiers who were also serving in the war. Started in Bonnie's basement, the YRG soon expanded into the Ellport (PA) Community Church where they now package up to 120 comfort boxes each month for shipment to our troops overseas.
For four weeks of the collection drive, lodges within District 15 and six Byzantine Catholic Churches donated comfort items such as toothpaste, wash cloths, hand cream, lip balm, and phone cards and more for our American troops serving overseas. Participating in this project were Lodge 10, Aliquippa, PA; Lodge 109, Lyndora, PA; Lodge 994, Beaver, PA; Lodge 268, Mingo Junction, OH; Lodge 697, Weirton, WV; and Lodge 972, Ambridge, PA. Also contributing to the project were people who are not yet members of the GCU.
The total collected from all six lodges weighed approximately one-half ton! In other terms, enough items were collected to fill about 65 paper-ream-sized boxes, each with a value of $25 in new comfort items, or a value of $1,625 in donations! Also, various lodges donated cash totaling $120. Cash donations help with the costs of shipping the comfort boxes to our troops. The approximate cash value of the donation from District 15 to the American troops through the Yellow Ribbon Girls Project was $1,745.
District 15 President Andy Zeedick, along with the GCU Fraternal Director Christy Petty delivered the donations to the Yellow Ribbon Girls on June 22. The response was overwhelming! Once again, the GCU members of District 15 made a difference in the lives of others. That's what it's all about! And there are none more deserving of our efforts than our American Troops! On behalf of the District 15 officers, and lodge officers, we extend a sincere THANK YOU to all who supported this very worthy project.
