In mid-September 2019, a bus carrying members of the US Army 1st Battalion of the 186th Infantry crashed along Highway 101 in Manzanita. The City of Manzanita was quick to extend help and hospitality to the stranded service men and women and a mutual friendship was born. Manzanita has now “adopted” this unit and the city will continue extending its hospitality to them as they serve overseas. The unit deployed to the Horn of Africa in November for a year.
To that end, the City will begin sending care packages and is asking for local businesses and individuals to contribute items to send the unit during their deployment period. This will be a difficult time for these men and women while they are separated from their friends, families and loved ones. Anything we can do to offer them support will go a long way in helping ease that burden and there have already been some very generous donations to get this started.
“From my own experience I know how appreciated little items sent from home are received by service men and women overseas,” said Manzanita Mayor and Vietnam veteran Mike Scott. “They are far from home, separated from family for long periods of time. Some have no family. To receive a paperback book, a card, or even a piece of candy is a powerful morale builder. They will know we have not forgotten them.”
There are very specific items the Oregon Military Department (OMD) allows for care packages.
Here is a complete list:
Goods (cases of like kind goods, not assorted) –
$25 VISA and M/C gift cards (gives them maximum flexibility, for WIFI, etc)
Personal hygiene items (unscented preferred)
o Wet wipes, individually wrapped
Disposable razors (men’s and women’s)
Chap sticks
Body wash, lotion, face wash, mouth wash, deodorant, Q-tips, shampoo, conditioner
Foot powder and the like
Feminine products (unscented preferred)
o Small packs of napkins and tampons
Female version of body wash, lotion, razors, face wash, mouth wash, deodorant, Q-tips, hair de-tangier, face moisturizer, shampoo, conditione
Small grooming kits
Laundry PODS packed in a sturdy plastic or metal container.
Sunscreen
Magazines (clean content)
Fun posters and calendars for dressing the place up
AA batteries
AAA batteries
Movies and music on thumb drives only (“USB devises are cool to send movies and current shows on in digital form! Just please keep them virus free.”) (CDs, DVDs, and tapes are useless)
2 GB+ USB memory sticks (thumb drives, blank)
Cards, letters, group photos (we want the troops to know real people did this for them)
Tobacco
Books
Food (cases of like kind goods, not assorted) –
Beef jerky
Hard candy
Gum – all flavors
Protein Bars (Quest/Mission 1/Combat Crunch; cookies and cream/chocolate)
Protein Mixer Bottles/Shakers
Cross Training Shoes – men’s sizes 11, 12
Cordless/Electric Hair Clipper
Cordless/Electric Nose/Ear Hair Trimmer
Multi-tools
3M Sticky Wall Hooks
Hand Sanitizer
Cookies, crackers
Comnuts
Chocolate Candy
CandyBars
Rice Krispy Treats
Slim Jims
Granola and other snack bars
Nuts other than peanuts in re-sealable containers
Dried fruits in re-sealable containers
Tins and packets of flavored coffee and cappuccino
Breath mints
Liquid creamers in little plastic cups with a foil top packed in a sturdy plastic or metal container.
No-Nos –
No pressurized product (aerosol shave cream etc.)
No cocoa
Do not ever send pornography, alcohol or drugs. These are illegal and can get the soldier in trouble.
If you would like to contribute to this effort, items can be dropped off at the Manzanita Visitors Center or Manzanita City Hall. Each time we have enough for a package, we will send it off and start to fill a new one.
If you have any questions or would like to arrange a donation, please contact Kristin Grasseth at Manzanita City Hall at (503) 368-5343 or Dan Haag at Manzanita Visitors Center at (503) 812-5510.