Molino Woman Collecting Care Package Items For Troops In Iraq

June 8, 2010

carepkg13.jpg

A Molino woman is asking the North Escambia community to help her send care packages to American troops serving in Iraq for the Fourth of July.

Katie Hilburn’s fiancee, Spc. Ben Piatt, also of Molino, is about eight months into his tour of duty as a combat engineer in northern Iraq. He is scheduled to be in Iraq until October.

carepkg12.jpgAfter hearing about the soldiers’ needs, Hilburn decided to send the care packages to Piatt’s unit in Iraq during the Christmas season last year, collecting several boxes of items.

“I received e-mails from different soldiers telling me how much it meant to receive packages from back home, so I want to keep supporting them,”  she said. “It’s our job to take care of our soldiers and to remember them.”

The supplies will be collected at veteran-owned Cole’s Barbershop in Molino until Wednesday, June 16. They will then be shipped to Piatt, 21, and his unit in Iraq. Cole’s Barbershop is located next to Fran’s Country Grill on Highway 29.

Items being collected include:

Body Care
Toothpaste
Bottled body soap (for men)
Sunscreen
Germ X
Shampoo
Baby wipes
Q-tips
Shaving cream
Razors
Foot powder
Chap stick

Food

Ramen noodles (in the cup)
Propel powder
Small coffee creamer
Small sugar
Sunflower seeds
Apple sauce
Tuna fish and cracker packages
Beef jerky
Cereal bars
Peanuts
Cookies
Popcorn (microwavable)
Saltine crackers
Peanut butter
Fruit cup

Miscellaneous
Playing cards
DVD’s
Magazine’s (hunting, fishing, guns, sports)
Games

Pictured top: Katie Hilburn and her fiancee Spc. Ben Piatt prior to his deployment to northern Iraq. Pictured inset: Spc. Piatt in Iraq. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

17 Responses to “Molino Woman Collecting Care Package Items For Troops In Iraq”

  1. WHITNEY on June 15th, 2010 1:57 pm

    HEY KK WE HAVE LIKE 3 OR 4 BAGS OF FOOD LET US KNOW WHEN YOU WILL BE SENDING THOSE !

  2. katie on June 15th, 2010 12:21 am

    PLEASE KEEP HELPING, NO FOOD HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AND WE NEED THAT REAL BAD! I WILL KEEP THE BOX AT COLE’S LONGER THAN THE 16TH, BUT WILL START SHIPPING STUFF OUT THIS WK.
    THANKYOU,
    KATIE

  3. katie on June 15th, 2010 12:18 am

    Thankyou so much molinojim.. it was a big help!

  4. molinojim on June 10th, 2010 9:19 pm

    Hi Katie.I dropped off a little something at the house with your brother. This is very kind of you to help get the “care packages” to the troops. Hope your baby will be home soon. Take care.

  5. katie on June 9th, 2010 10:34 pm

    I also want to say, don’t forget about our Vets! they didn’t get the respect or honor, that they should have received. it is very important to say thankyou to them. alot of them got spit in the face and treated very bad. a sample thank you, may not mean that much to us, but when you tell them thankyou, their eyes light up and it means so much to them.
    Thankyou again :)

  6. katie on June 9th, 2010 10:29 pm

    Thank you everyone, it means alot!

  7. M.WEAVER on June 9th, 2010 7:51 am

    I THINK IT’S GREAT THAT YOU ARE DOING THIS . OUR SOLDIERS NEED TO KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT THEM . I HAVE MANY FRIENDS IN SERVICE AROUND THE WORLD AND I HEAR FROM THEM THAT SUPPORT FROM HOME IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO THEM . KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I WILL BE HAPPY TO DONATE FOR THIS .

  8. T on June 8th, 2010 11:59 pm

    God bless you Katie.
    Glad to donate items for this cause.

  9. Alice and Roy Skaggs on June 8th, 2010 8:25 pm

    Thanks katie i thought that was where it was.

  10. Samantha on June 8th, 2010 7:15 pm

    Thank you, Katie, for doing this!
    I will try my best to get a package together by next week.
    GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!
    (:

    Sincerely,
    Samantha

  11. B on June 8th, 2010 3:23 pm

    God Bless our Troops!

  12. deni on June 8th, 2010 3:18 pm

    Cole’s is in The Fran’s Diner parking lot.

  13. katie on June 8th, 2010 2:17 pm

    Hey Mrs.Alice,
    depends where you are coming from, let me know and then i’ll try my best to help you.
    Thankyou,
    Katie

  14. Alice and Roy Skaggsa on June 8th, 2010 11:10 am

    Just read about things our soldiers need and i would like to brings somthings, so if someone could let me know where exactly cole’s barbershop is and what time is the deadline is on wednesday . thank u

  15. katie on June 8th, 2010 9:48 am

    Thank you, so much!
    My fiancee said it was like 140 the other day, thats crazy!
    Thanks again, for all the help!

  16. molinojim on June 8th, 2010 8:23 am

    I helped before at will certainly help again. HOPE ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE IN THE MILITARY CAN KICK IN. CASH IS AN EASY WAY TO HELP— SHE CAN FILL IN WHAT SHE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT.

  17. Army Mom on June 8th, 2010 7:49 am

    My son is in Iraq, too. Sun Screen is a great idea. It was 147 degrees over there the other day… Some of the soldiers wear their boots 16 hours a day. All of these items is an execellent choice to send to our troops. Thanks for all that help to support our children, and spouses.