DELRAY BEACH, FL -- Melissa Rangel has been to Iraq five times. Every time she travels, her mother worries. Delores Rangel says, "She's been in the Air Force going on six years in December and it's very difficult when you have a loved one overseas and especially, I shouldn't say this, but a young lady. And it's very tough because she is in the war zone."
Missing her daughter made her realize how many other families have loved ones far away from home. For three years, Delores Rangel has been sending holiday care packages to soldiers who are overseas. She says, "We sent out about 90 individual care packages and unit boxes we sent out about 30, the community comes out, they just pour their love out and bring a lot of the donations here to us."
Project Holiday, with the help of the city of Delray Beach, will be doing the same thing this year. The public's help is needed. "Batteries, beef jerky, things that they can carry that are easy to carry in their pockets because they do go out to the war zones, the front lines and a lot of times they don't have the things that they need."
Rengal says the soldiers are thankful they have not been forgotten. "We've gotten a lot of cards back from our soldiers they are just very appreciative and especially the young man who was just killed in Michigan his unit has lost 24 members and their morale is not the best and they are asking for notes of encouragement, little things and I want to make sure that they get something."
Project Holiday collections continue until November 20th, 2009
Items can be dropped off at several locations, including the Delray Beach City Hall, Delray Beach Tennis Center and Veterans Park.
Contact: Delores Rangel at the City of Delray Beach
561-243-7190
