Fully Packed

Thanks in no small part to the generosity of many in Door County, almost 2,000 schoolchildren in Afghanistan are heading to school with backpacks full of supplies and clothes.

Special Forces Captain Patrick Flood, an Ephraim native, reported great success in his unit’s drive to provide essentials like socks, winter jackets, notebooks, pens and pencils to children in the war-torn country. Many of the children will use the supplies when they attend school for the first time.

“In about two months time,” Capt. Flood wrote last week, “we received nearly 2,000 backpacks. In light of the current economic situation and the chaos of the holidays, that is pretty significant.”

Capt. Flood wrote as he stole time from packing to leave the country, but said the group replacing his will continue the program. Contact information is as follows:

Jeff Melton (Operation Backpack)

Unit 3H, APO, AE 09354

Capt. Flood said he’s been promised pictures of the children receiving their backpacks, and he’ll be passing them along, as well as sincere thanks to all who participated.