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Home for the holidays Family Support Group continues to raise money Melodie Phelps News Editor The local Family Support Group for Battery C continues to raise monies to bring their loved ones home for the Christmas holidays, and one local business has pledged matching funds for that effort. Wayne Auction Barn has pledged to match up to $2,500 in donations for the Family Support Group. Thatıs half of what the group is seeking to raise within the next two weeks. So far, theyıre about $5,000 short of the amount needed to charter buses and bring the members of Battery C home from Ft. Dix, New Jersey for a 10 day holiday leave. ³Maybe we can help get them home,² said Mike Huffaker of Wayne Auction Barn. He noted that the drive begins immediately and anyone who wants to participate should bring donations for the Family Support Group to Wayne Auction on Old Highway 90. Sharon Calahan with the Family Support Group said that the local unit is sharing costs with Battery B, headquartered in Campbellsville, to charter buses and bring the guard members home during their leave. The total cost is about $25,000, according to Calahan. Two of the four buses will bring Monticello soldiers back home to their families. ³We want to raise enough money that they donıt have to pay anything themselves to get home,² noted Calahan. The Family Support Group has been involved in several fund raising efforts so far, including selling t-shirts and support ribbons. The local band Klassyc Tymes also performed a benefit concert with proceeds going to the support group. The Support Group cannot solicit donations, but local businesses have responded very well in providing funds for this effort. An account has been set up at Monticello Banking Company for the Support Group and anyone who would like to make a donation may do so at any location. The Support Group will sponsor a float in this weekıs Christmas Parade. The float has the theme of ³Sending the Kids to Iraq to visit Daddy for Christmas² and it includes a Post Office building constructed by Jeffrey Smith. The building, which would make a wonderful playhouse for the children, will be given away after the parade by the Support Group. Anyone can participate in the giveaway with donations to the group. While the goal right now is getting the men home for Christmas, Calahan noted there are also some plans for when they depart for Ft. Dix after the holidays. She indicated the unit will likely leave Monticello around January 1 and at that time they would like to plan a farewell type of event along the streets of Monticello as the group leaves. ³We want everyone in town to go out and see them off,² said Calahan. The unit will be deployed to the Persian Gulf area sometime after the first of the year, and Calahan noted that the Support Group hopes to host a candlelight vigil the night they actually fly out. More information on these events will be announced at a later date. Anyone who would like to purchase t-shirts or support ribbons may do so at the Armory or by contacting any member of the Family Support Group. Anyone who would like to participate in the matching donation program at Wayne Auction Barn should visit the store. Money for the charter buses must be raised before December 15. Add a comment |
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