Pocono News Section

Operation Touch of Home

Operation Touch of Home - Friday, November 13, 2009 at 1:30PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Friday, Nov 13, 2009 @ 01:30pm EST
TANNERSVILLE, MONROE COUNTY - Veterans Day has come and gone but many people say we should continue to show our appreciation. A Pocono area group is collecting items for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's called "."

When First Lieutenant Jim Cameron was deployed to Afghanistan he said goodbye to his wife, their young son and their three week old daughter. He said, "You hope you're going for them. You hope you're going to do something so they don't have to - or at least it will be easier when they get older."

He missed his family and his home but something made him feel closer to them - mail call. He recalled, "You get boxes stamped Operation Touch of Home you know something good is in there."

Operation Touch of Home sends care packages to soldiers from Northeastern Pennsylvania. Dean Green founded the organization. He said, "It just makes such a big difference in moral - just - they know people care about them."

Green said he started to send the packages six years ago while his son was in Iraq. He explained,"I know first hand what the families go through."

Green's son is home now but he's still collecting packages. His organization fills boxes with donated items and toiletries. Cameron said, "It's local soldiers over there receiving things for the local populous here and that means a lot."

Operation Touch of Home will collect items all weekend. Volunteers will package them and send them to the war zone next week. Green said he'll continue to do this every year until all of our service men and women come home.

He said, "I wish they would tell me I'm out of a job - they don't need me anymore. I would love to see them all come back but until they do, I'd like to see everybody support them."

Cameron added, "The soldiers aren't going to stop so it's excellent to know the community is not going to stop for us either."

You can donate items all weekend at several locations in Monroe County. They are:

- Walmart in East Stroudsburg
- Bill's Shoprite in Mount Pocono
- Kingsley's Shoprite in Brodheadsville
- Ahart's Market in Blakeslee