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Vernon Woman's Club sends stuffed stockings to troops

| 14 Nov 2014 | 02:37
    Cartons of Christmas stockings await shipment to US servicemen and women who are deployed throughout the globe.
    Cartons of Christmas stockings await shipment to US servicemen and women who are deployed throughout the globe.
    Members of the Vernon Township Woman’s Club donated food, hygiene products, playing cards, yo-yos and many other items to stuff Christmas stockings that were sent to soldiers serving overseas.
    Members of the Vernon Township Woman’s Club donated food, hygiene products, playing cards, yo-yos and many other items to stuff Christmas stockings that were sent to soldiers serving overseas.
    The Vernon Township Woman’s Club sent hand-made Christmas stockings to US troops serving overseas. The stockings were stuffed with personal items and shipped as part of Boatsie’s Boxes Operation Christmas Stocking, a program that sends the stockings all over the world.
    The Vernon Township Woman’s Club sent hand-made Christmas stockings to US troops serving overseas. The stockings were stuffed with personal items and shipped as part of Boatsie’s Boxes Operation Christmas Stocking, a program that sends the stockings all over the world.
    Jill Passaretti, president of the NJ State Federation of Woman’s Clubs and a member of the Vernon Township Woman’s Club, moves cartons containing 974 Christmas stockings from a storage container to a truck. 
    Jill Passaretti, president of the NJ State Federation of Woman’s Clubs and a member of the Vernon Township Woman’s Club, moves cartons containing 974 Christmas stockings from a storage container to a truck. 

VERNON — In conjunction with the Boatsie’s Boxes program, the GFWC Vernon Township Woman’s Club sent Christmas stockings to U.S. troops serving overseas for the fourth consecutive year.

Using colorful holiday fabric, the Club’s Second Vice President Lois Marples hand-made fifteen beautiful 18-inch stockings and filled them with items donated by other club members.

Boatsie’s Boxes is a nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by military-mom Gail “Boatsie” VanVranken with the simple mission of bringing comfort to our nation’s servicemen and women by sending care packages to military bases overseas. Once a week throughout the year, boxes of essential personal items and entertainment are shipped to troops around the world. At holiday time, “Operation Christmas Stocking” is deployed, sending stockings to thousands of soldiers who won’t be spending the holidays with their families.

The New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC) adopted the program as an annual event, and women’s clubs throughout the state, including the Vernon Township club, contribute filled stockings to the cause. This year, the NJSFWC donated 974 stockings.

The stockings are collected and stored in a portable storage container at NJSFWC office in New Brunswick, and then boxed and loaded into a truck to be driven to Boatsie’s Boxes headquarters in Wheeling, W.Va. From there, they are shipped to military bases all over the world.

Contents of the stockings are valued at $20-$25. Stocking stuffers include personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes, mouthwash, powder and Chapstick, and food favorites like gum, candy, microwave popcorn and hot cocoa mix. They also include entertainment such as DVDs, CDs, balls, yo-yos, playing cards, and prepaid phone cards.

The Vernon Township Woman’s Club has been supporting the community through charitable and philanthropic activities since 1972. Membership is open to women of all ages who share a vision of service and commitment to others. For more information, visit www.vtwc.org or contact Elaine at 973-853-9053. To learn more about Boatsie’s Boxes, visit www.boatsie.com.