A SusanvilleStuff Feature
by Melissa Blosser
Used sports equipment – it’s cluttering up our garage, our yard and our storage sheds.
Luckily the Blue Star Moms of Susanville have found a way to get your sports equipment back in the game, by sending it overseas to our local troops.
“Sports items are something they can use that will help take their mind off things,” said Christine Boyd, president of the Susanville Blue Star Moms. “Playing sports reminds them of something familiar,”
According to Boyd, the Blue Star Moms want to give them something they might not typically have access to. Often troops overseas are sent care packages full of food items, but they already have access to these items in their unit.
Chris Mancebo returned from Afghanistan after serving from 2009 to 2010 and witnessed first hand the enjoyment sports equipment can bring to individuals in the service.
“It’s great for us because we are limited to what we can take over there,” said Mancebo. “Playing sports provides a great way to unwind and relax without feeling you have to be a soldier all the time.”
Mancebo went on to explain how soldiers can pass on their sports equipment through the use of MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) a quality-of-life program that directly supports readiness by providing a variety of community, soldier, and family support programs, activities and services.
Included in MWR are social, fitness, recreational, educational, and other programs and activities that enhance community life and promote mental and physical fitness. Each unit typically has a program.
“If I received a football and I am done with it, then I could leave it at the MWR and the entire unit could then utilize it,” said Mancebo. “Sports are a great way to get an entire platoon involved and just goof-off together.”
The Blue Star Moms are hosting a drive at the Main Street Cruise Saturday June 23rd from 2:00 to 6:00p.m. and they will be collecting new or used sports equipment as well as cash donations to ship the items overseas.
Susanvillestuff will be live streaming video from the Main Street Cruise and we are inviting both soldiers deployed around the world and family here at home to stop by the Cruise and connect using our site.
