"A Touch of Home"

For many U.S. soldiers, the holidays will be spent overseas, on foreign soil. In an effort to create a more holiday-like season for those selflessly serving their country, one area organization is helping ensure them a merrier holiday season.

In Culbertson, the American Legion Auxiliary sends care packages to area soldiers in an effort to give them a small part of home while they are deployed.

The next set of packages will be mailed out on Dec. 4.

On Dec. 3 volunteers will put the packages together at 7:00 p.m. at the Legion Hall in Culbertson.

"These are people that are in harm's way and what they do for our country just touches are hearts," said LaEtta Waldhausen, Soldier Box Coordinator and District 1 President for the Auxiliary.

This is a project that got underway in 1991 and has diligently continued throughout the years with dozens of packages being mailed every other month through the local postal service. Waldhausen, a charter member of the project, said her husband, Leo, is her inspiration for seeing to it that the project continues. He is a retired Army Sergeant Major with 38 years of service.

Most of the boxes are created for soldiers from the area, encompassing Culbertson, Bainville, Brockton, Fort Kipp and Froid. However, if a community member knows a soldier from another area, they may also be sent a care package. "I spoke with one soldier who said receiving a box of home goods and reading the return address with the words USA on it made a huge difference to him and helped bring him closer to home," Waldhausen said.

Like other local projects, the Auxiliary depends on local volunteers and community donations to continue. "We have been blessed with good volunteers who help get the packages ready and who also send us monetary donations," she said.

She said many of the soldiers enjoy receiving non perishable goods such as beef jerky, nuts, individually wrapped candy, books, tasteful magazines, and small toys they can give to children they encounter while on duty. They also need personal care items such as toothpaste, soap and shampoo.

"For the soldiers, these gifts are a touch of home and we intend to keep sending them until all of our men and women are home safe," Waldhausen said.

To make a donation to the Soldier Box project, mail it to the American Legion, P.O. Box 103, Culbertson, MT., 59218. Completed soldier boxes can also be dropped off at the Other Place, at 105 Broadway, in Culbertson.