Although many differ on policy and the country’s situation in Iraq, some students want to make one thing clear: They support the troops regardless.
DU’s College Republicans chapter is sponsoring Support Our Troops week now through Friday, April 25, and are asking the DU community for their cooperation in collecting letters and donations for troops.
“We wanted to do something that would give the DU community the opportunity to unite beyond party lines for a noble cause,” says Kevin Poyner, chairman of the Republican group on campus.
Donations can be dropped off at tables outside of Sturm Hall during the day and in boxes outside C-stores in the dorms now through Thursday. Donations can range from food and snacks like protein bars, crackers and dry soup to hand sanitizer, body wash, sunblock, DVD movies, phone cards and stationery.
On April 24, the group will be hosting a packing party at 3 p.m. on Driscoll Lawn to create care packages to send to troops.
Poyner says it’s important to send letters thanking soldiers for their service and commitment, while care packages can provide them with a little sense of home.
The event is especially important to celebrate on a college campus to break the stereotype that students don’t care about what happens in the real world in addition to showing soldiers that they stand behind them, Poyner says.
Plus, students and community can form a strong team, he notes. College students can write letters since most “are on a limited budget to donate stuff while in the community, they have the money to donate but not necessarily the time.”