Strings of garland bound for troops serving in Afghanistan

Ann Trail of McCook, Nebraska, hosts a "packing party" to stuff goodies into boxes to be mailed to "Chaplain John," who will distribute the goodies and gadgets among U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan. Assuming their "packing positions" in Ann's kitchen were, from left, Norma Stevens, Vicky Weigel, (Ann), Peg Calhoun and William Sanicola. Among the packers in the garage were, from left, Pam Dorothy and Karen Ruff, and Marlene Foster and Jean Wilcox.

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Ann Trail and friends of McCook, Nebraska, are decorating two chapels in Afghanistan.

Through the "Adopt-a-Chaplain" program that she has participated in for several years, Ann has coordinated an effort to send packages to U.S. troops overseas at Christmas time. This year, the first eight boxes that Ann and friends shipped were stuffed with Christmas garland and Nativity sets to decorate two chapels in the area served by the man Ann calls, "my chaplain," "Chaplain John." His real name is not used, to protect him and his family.

Ann's goal this year is to mail at least 32 more boxes, and they're packed tight with snacks, sunflower seeds, DVD's, toys and balls, puzzle books, cookies, lip balm, coffee creamer, hand sanitizer, candy and gum and hundreds of other trinkets and gadgets donated by individuals and businesses.

Ann said that Dr. Jesse Neal, a dentist from Alma, Nebraska, donated 70 pounds of candy -- candy that he "traded" kids for after Halloween trick-or-treating.

Cash donations will help pay shipping costs, Ann said.

New this year in the boxes are Christmas cards for the soldiers, handmade by McCook Junior High School seventh and eighth graders. The kids stuffed their cards with "oodles of items," Ann said, from their pencil cases and their lockers, like pens, pencils, gum and candy. One student, said teacher Janet Hepp, gave the soldier to whom he was writing the keychain and medallion he's carried for five years. "I was so touched," Ann said.

Awana students have included little notes for the soldiers, Ann said, and Ann's sister-in-law, Margaret Nielsen of Lexington, Nebraska, sent 50 hand-knitted stocking caps to be given to the troops.

Ann and Connie Padgett, also of McCook, will tuck into the boxes the palm-sized crocheted crosses that they make. Ann said that she and Connie have made about 11,500 of the crosses -- each takes about five minutes to make -- many of which were distributed at Christmas time last year to soldiers in Iraq.

"People are so very generous," Ann said. "I'm just totally blessed by this project."

It takes about two weeks for packages to reach troops in Afghanistan -- some of whom are serving in "not so good places," Ann said.

So, Ann says, she says a prayer that the boxes get to her chaplain, and that he -- and the troops he serves -- are safe, especially at Christmas time.