Project Honors Vets and Helps Those in Need

A new project is underway to provide Veterans with much needed toiletry items over the holiday season. Richland and McCone County RSVP, Dawson County RSVP and Action for Eastern Montana are partnering together to give away 100 handmade Christmas stockings filled with select items to approximately 70 residents at the Veteran's Nursing Home in Glendive and the remainder to vets in Richland and Dawson Counties who are living at home.

"A ladies group from Billings wanted to make stockings for veterans in Eastern Montana, but didn't have the means to fill all of them," said Karen O'Dell with Action for Eastern Montana.

This was the beginning of the Stockings for Veterans Project. After the donation of the stockings, fundraising began over the summer with a Poker Run and Honor Ride put together by RSVP and Action for Eastern Montana. The Sidney Elks Club and VFW along with other organizations generously partnered alongside as a way to pay tribute to local heroes and raise money. Part of these proceeds will be used to buy essential items to fill the stockings.

Businesses including Reynolds Market, Hurley Enterprises, Action Auto, Seitz Insurance, Fink Dental and Johnson Hardware & Furniture have all donated to the cause. Private donors from all over the state have also made contributions. In addition to donated toiletries, the project has currently received approximately $1600 in cash donations and a $200 gift card to help purchase needed items.

Between 2008 and 2012 there were 700 veterans living in Richland County and with the purpose of this project being to help as many veterans as possible, excess donations will mean extra stockings going out to more people.

"One of the main goals is to make the holiday season financially easier and honor those people that have served our country," said Greta Mannen with RSVP.

"Many people don't realize that personal care items aren't furnished through nursing homes," adds O'Dell. "We thought this would be a great way to let them know that they haven't been forgotten."

Volunteers including Senator Tester's and Senator Walsh's field staffs will assemble the stockings December 6. They will then distribute them to the Veteran's Home in Glendive. 4H members will deliver the rest door-to-door.

Items needed include:

Toothpaste and toothbrushes

Dental floss

Chap stick

Hand sanitizer

Kleenex

Hand Wipes

Foot Powder

Socks

Booties

Shampoo

Combs

Body Spray

Gum

Fly Swatters

Shower Gel

Shaving Cream

Nuts

Puzzles

Word Search Books

Brushes

Soap

Deodorant

Hand Lotion

Stamps

Stationary

Pens or Pencils

Paper

Non-perishable snacks

Hard Candy

Aftershave

Everyone is encouraged to get involved. For further information about the Stockings for Veterans Project contact Karen O'Dell at 406-433-4967 or Greta Manning or Rita Jacobson at 406-433-2207. Richland County donations can be made at the Richland County Health Department at 1201 West Holly St. Suite #1 or Suite #6 .KGCX Eagle 93 is also taking donations at 213 2nd Ave SW Sidney, MT 59270.

Dawson County donations can be made at Action for Eastern Montana at 2030 N Merrill Ave Glendive, MT 59330, KXGN at 210 S Douglas St. Glendive, MT 59330, or at the RSVP office at the Senior Center at 604 E Grant St. Glendive, MT 59330.

Action for Eastern Montana will be holding a donation drive at the K-Mart parking lot on October 15th from 10am-1pm.