By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A regional effort to collect pajamas and other items for military men and women injured in Iraq has received a big boost.
A Tonawanda woman continues to seek donations for the "Jammies for GIs" program. But last week, Cheryl Lepsch said a small Rochester company that manufactures x-ray equipment made a $5,500 donation to the program. The mother of a Rochester soldier who died in Iraq works for the Rochester company.
"They called and asked me about Jammies for GIs. They asked me to send them 100 flyers. Then they inserted those flyers in their Christmas cards and told their top 100 clients they made a donation on their behalf to Jammies for GIs," Lepsch said.
The items are sent to military hospitals. The hospitals say they also in need of televisions, DVD players, movie DVDs and music CDs. They want to offer the wounded soldiers personal items as they recover.
"Anything that you can think of that you would need on a daily basis, the soldiers are in need of," Lepsch said. "They don't have anything, only the clothing they arrived with. Cards and letters are also helpful.
"If anyone knows a group of children that could write that would be helpful. The soldiers would love receiving the cards."
Cheryl Lepsch organized "Jammies for GIs after her son was hurt while working with an anti-terrorism group in Africa. He continues to recover at a US military hospital.
To donate, go online to jammiesforgis.com.