The Dear Hero Program, a Penn State undergraduate student organization devoted to raising the morale of deployed troops and wounded veterans, will collect donated items for military personnel care packages from Wednesday, Oct. 8, to Wednesday, Oct. 29, at Eisenhower Auditorium.
The girlfriend of a U.S. Marine, who realized when he served in Afghanistan that many of his fellow Marines didn’t receive letters from home, founded the Dear Hero Program.
Through the program, letters and care packages are sent from veterans, ROTC members, students, family, friends and others to troops serving overseas. The program has also helped members of the community to become trained volunteers at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona.
Donated items for the care packages may be dropped off at Eisenhower lobby collection bins during regular weekday business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or when patrons attend events at Eisenhower.
The collection is scheduled in connection with the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State presentation of “Basetrack Live.” The multimedia contemporary theater production, produced by En Garde Arts, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in Eisenhower. The show, based on the experiences of a Marine based in Afghanistan, seeks to promote communication and focus national attention on the issues facing returning veterans and their families.
Active and retired members of the military may obtain as many as two complimentary tickets to “Basetrack Live,” which is recommended for ages 14 and older.
Click HERE for a care-package wish list, which includes dozens of items such as non-perishable snack foods, health and personal hygiene products, magazines, playing cards and more.
Click HERE for more information about the Dear Hero Program.
Click HERE to learn more about “Basetrack Live,” related engagement activities and tickets.
