For members of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed overseas, it can be hard to be away from loved during the holidays. With Valentine’s Day coming up, the UGA Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences Club (MANRRS) is collecting little extras for deployed troops to let them know that people back home are thinking of them.
As part of its annual philanthropy campaign, Operation: MANRRS Cares, club members are collecting goodies for deployed troops until Feb. 15. The goods will be assembled into Valentine’s Day packages and sent to servicemembers currently deployed in Afghanistan.
“Planning Operation: MANRRS Cares is an opportunity for me to send a small token of my appreciation to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and to thank them for how they risk their lives for me every day,” said Phyllicia Thomas, a fourth-year environmental economics and management student and MANRRS program chair. “Several members of our organization have family members who are in the military, so it means a lot to us to spread a little love through the form of care packages.”
When serving overseas, little things can make a big difference, Thomas said. Some of the most-requested items include candy, toothpaste, baby wipes, lip balm, toothbrushes, fruit cups and UGA memorabilia. MANRRS also is accepting donations of $15 or more to cover the shipping costs.
Drop off locations for donations include:
- 103 Soil, Plant and Water Lab
- 201 Conner Hall, Office of Diversity Affairs
- 2105 Miller Plant Sciences
- 211 Food Sciences
- 413 Biological Sciences, Entomology
- Ag Business Office
- CAES Dean’s Office
- Lobby of the Poultry Sciences Building
- 301 Conner Hall
- 142A Four Towers
For more information about this program or to find out how to help, please contact Phyllicia Thomas at pt@uga.edu.
