Students prepare donated items to shipping to Iraq and Afghanistan

MIDDLETOWN – Members of the Middletown High School ROTC program Friday packaged boxes with everything from personal hygiene products to snacks and books, all to be shipped to American troops stationed overseas.

The students participated as their way to show the men and women in the service that people at home care about them and their safety, said K.C. Pallone, who coordinated the packing party.

“Getting the students together is very, very important,” she said. “They accomplish something and it makes them feel better about themselves and then they understand there is a war going on and it just helps them see how they can help.”

Ashley Moffitt is a senior at Middletown High. Her boyfriend, Brian Kolizar, a 2007 graduate of the school, is serving in Afghanistan as a specialist in the Army. She wanted to participate in the packing program.

“It’s basically for family and just in general, I want to give back to them because they have done so much for us as a country, giving their lives for people they don’t even know I think is tremendous and can at least do this for them because they are doing so much for me,” she said.

Justin Lucchese is a junior at the high school. His dad retired last year from the Navy. He served in Iraq and Justin, too, wanted to give something back to the service personnel overseas.