Cedar Grove Police Collection to Benefit West Caldwell Soldier

The Cedar Grove Police Department is getting into the holiday spirit by organizing care-packages to send to troops serving overseas.

Donations can be dropped off in a collection bin in the lobby of the Cedar Grove Municipal Building at 525 Pompton Ave. Police will be accepting donations until January 1.

This year, the packages will be sent to 20 soldiers operating in Afghanistan, including one resident from West Caldwell.

“Thanks to the generosity of our residents, last year’s drive was a great success and we were able to send care packages to many of our soldiers away from their families during the Holidays,” police said in a written statement.

“Please help us say thank you to our troops by sending them a little piece of home,” police said.

This is the third year Cedar Grove Police Sgt. Eileen O’Toole organized the collection for members of the armed forces. Every year the Department donates the proceeds from its annual softball match to the Wounded Warrior Project but O'Toole wanted to make sure the members our military are remembered during the holidays.

“Its a little taste of home and it lets them know people outside their family are still thinking about them and we haven’t forgotten what they are doing for us,” said Cedar Grove Police Lt. Erik Hansson, who assists with the collection every year.

Police collected more than 20 boxes of items for the troops in previous years, said Hansson.

The Police Department pitches in money every year to cover the shipping costs, he said.

This year the Police Department is collecting:

• toothbrushes
• shampoo
• disposable razors
• shaving cream
• body wash
• snack items (Pringles, crackers, cookies, hard candy, beef jerky, etc.)
• comic books
• playing cards
• crossword puzzles
• computer memory sticks
• pens
• notebooks
• envelopes

Visit the Cedar Grove Police Department at 525 Pompton Ave. for a full list of items.