Students collect ‘treats for troops’
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Students at the University of Maine at Presque Isle got into the holiday spirit a bit early this year, foregoing tricks for Halloween in order to collect treats and signatures on Christmas cards for military personnel stationed far from home as part of Treats for Troops.
“UMPI’s Phi Eta Sigma chapter collected treats for the troops during their Treats for Troop drive Oct. 24-28,” said Jim Stepp, the group’s adviser.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
TREATS FOR TROOPS — Elizabeth Bell and Margaret McAdams, seniors at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and members of the Phi Eta Sigma chapter, spent an afternoon at the Whoos Hut in Folsom Hall collecting candy and signatures on Christmas cards as part of a Treats for Troops project. The items will be shipped to military personnel overseas, in an effort to make the holidays a bit better for those serving so far from home.
Stepp said the project was the idea of student Mika Ouellette.
“Mika is an UMPI student and resident at Skyway. She was inducted last year and is service representative. She found the project online and thought it would be a worthy cause,” said Stepp. “We had over 40 pounds of leftover candy donated following trick-or-treating at the dorms on Halloween.”
Treats for Troops is a 100 percent nonprofit organization that ships out six tons of care packages every week to U.S. troops serving in remote war areas. The community was invited to participate in the drive, through donations of candy and signing of Christmas cards.
“Tables for donations were set up throughout the week on campus, with dozens of people stopping by to sign cards or drop off candy,” said Stepp.
Elizabeth Bell and Margaret McAdams, both seniors at UMPI, were two of the volunteers who collected signatures and sweets to benefit the troops, inviting people stopping by the Whoos Hut at Folsom Hall to take part.
“It went very well. We’ve had multiple people signing. It’s a good cause and people want to support the troops. It’s easy to do — a simple way to send care overseas,” said Bell.
“We collected several pounds of candy and have dozens of cards signed — each card has multiple signatures in it,” said McAdams. “Several included comments of support and appreciation.”
For more information on Treats for Troops, visit: www.treatsfortroops.info/.
