The Sam Houston State University Political Science Junior Fellows and more than 25 university and community organizations will celebrate Veterans Day on Wednesday by working to assemble more than 100 boxes to be sent to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Students and Huntsville residents will pack the boxes at the Walker Education Center, while local teens will assemble the packages at the YMCA Teen Center. 

Both events will take place from 2-3:30 p.m. 

“We wanted to do something for the troops, but we also wanted to do an event that would bring people together,” said Junior Fellow Daniel North. “I think it’s important for the troops to know our entire community supports their service and sacrifice.”

The drive for care-package items has brought together the university and the community, according to Mike Yawn, junior fellows adviser.

On campus, the College of Education, the Veterans Resource Center, the Registrar’s Office, the Informational Resources Department, Pam Zelbst, the Political Science Junior Fellows, and Keri Rogers’ and Maria Holmes’ SAM 136 classes sponsored thousands of items or offered other assistance to servicemen overseas. 

Items donated include DVDs/CDs, gum, Nerf footballs and gummy bears. 

Numerous community groups, businesses and individuals — including Steve Black, Tamara Chasteen, Karl Davidson, Nancy Etheredge, Sharon Hill, Champe and Virginia Miller, David Moorman, and Barbara Tyson — offered sponsorships of items or other assistance, such as financial assistance for postage, stuffed animals, eye drops, bookmarks, shipping materials and educational materials, the latter being for the school children of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Our soldiers built many of the schools over there,” said Champe Miller. “Now they can provide some of the books and paper that the children will need in those schools.”

The Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of Commerce, Walker County Fair Association, Huntsville Lions Club, Huntsville’s Promise, Beta Sigma Phi, HEARTS Veterans Museum, Walker County Lions Club, YMCA, Walker County Democrats, Walker County Republicans, Walker County Republican Women, and AFSCME also contributed needed items to American troops. 

Crackers, gum, liquid soap, Ziplocs, candy, hand sanitizers, Gold Bond, sanitary wipes, and razor blades were donated following special requests from soldiers.

For more information, contact Yawn at mike.yawn@shsu.edu or (936) 294-1456.