Donations needed for annual AEDC VA picnic

  • Published
  • By Raquel March
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Arnold Engineering Development Complex's (AEDC) annual Veterans Affairs (VA) picnic is Oct. 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Arnold Lakeside Center and coordinators are encouraging the local community to provide donations.

The veterans attending the picnic are residents of the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Murfreesboro.

"Many veterans don't have a lot of family who support them and they live off of a small amount of money given to them monthly," said Mike Niederhauser, Arnold Community Council community relations/public service chairman. "The only time they get new clothes, new underwear, new socks or toothpaste is when our community comes together and gets these things for them."

Packages with donated items will be given to the veterans attending the picnic. Approved items for donation include: ball caps, sunglasses, t-shirts, socks (crew, not tube), shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, travel cups with lids, pens, stationary, phone cards and small décor items for their personal bulletin boards or doors.

Items that should not be donated are mouthwash, razors, hard candy, and fresh fruit, anything with company logos relating to alcohol, anything containing alcohol and nothing glass.

Donations may be delivered to the local chambers of commerce in Winchester, Tullahoma and Manchester by Monday, Oct. 1.

"It [donations] gives the vets that come something to take with them and remember the days of being in the military because it's their day," said Master Sgt. Randall Lusk, AEDC VA picnic coordinator. "Some of the donations are little things, but it isn't like the vets can leave the hospital and go to Wal-Mart and pick up what they want."

For more information, contact Lusk at (931) 454-4799.