By Monty Siekerman
The Blue Star Mothers are asking for your help in two ways.

• They have placed a large box in the Ada High School office hoping that members of the community will fill it with gifts to make Christmas happier for those in the military service who are serving overseas.
• Also, they would like to be informed of the names of the men and women from Hardin County who currently are stationed in a foreign land.

Members of Blue Star Mothers are the mothers and grandmothers of those in the military. The local headquarters are in Kenton. This year, the group is extending its efforts to Ada and other towns in Hardin County in hopes of making Christmas merrier for those a long way from home.

- Check the care package shopping list attached at the bottom -

In addition to the Ada Schools, donation boxes can be found at Dollar General in Ada and at the Upper Scioto Valley Schools in McGuffey.

Last year the Hardin County organization sent 368 boxes overseas. The value of items contained in each box is about $50. Monetary donations are welcome, as well, to help pay shipping costs, which average $16 per box.

Deadline for giving items is Friday, Nov. 9.

If you know of someone serving overseas email [email protected] or write Blue Star Mothers, P.O. Box 456, Kenton, OH 43326.

The Willeke-Marling Chapter 32 of Hardin County was founded in Ada in 1957.

Anyone wishing to help pack the boxes is asked to be at Mid Ohio Electric Co. at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18. The company is located on SR 309 just west of Kenton.

Photo: Blue Star Mothers Joyce Patrick of Forest (left) with Judy Lawrence of Ada at Ada Schools.