Family Video, VFW Post 1461 donate to soldier

By Kathryn Menue
Editor
BELVIDERE – Movies are an escape from reality that transports viewers into another world for a few hours at a time. In times of war, a simple distraction like a movie can mean the world to any soldier. Movies couldn’t be complete without fun snacks and candies to munch on during the cinematic adventure.
Thinking of the joys movies and candy can bring, Family Video of Belvidere decided to donate a couple of movies and a box full of candy to a female soldier currently stationed in Afghanistan.
Belvidere Family Video Assistant Manager Maria Rhodes being a veteran herself decided the package would be a great gift for the female soldier serving overseas and to the other men and women who are serving with her.
The whole idea came about when Belvidere Family Video hosted a candy contest. They decided that customers, if they wanted, could donate a box of candy to the box to be sent overseas. Rhodes said that being the generous community that Belvidere is, many customers donated a box of candy to support their troops.
Family Video teamed up with the Belvidere VFW Post 1461 to find a soldier to whom they could send the package. Currently, the VFW does not have many contacts overseas, but they did have one soldier in mind who would be the perfect recipient of the donation.
On Friday, Feb. 26, after Family Video filled a box with candy and a couple of movies, the VFW Post 1461 contributed other items from local establishments to add to the donation and took care of the postage and mailing process.
VFW Post 1461 Commander Greg Kelm said the package would be “a great moral booster” for the men and women in Afghanistan.
Rhodes added that now is a great time to send the package too, since this time of year is the down time where soldiers normally don’t receive many gifts. Many people send donations overseas around the holidays, but soldiers serve their country year round.
The package coming a few months after the height of holiday festivities will be a nice reminder of the appreciation the Belvidere community feels toward the soldiers serving this country.