After earning the 2008 Summit Award from ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership for its “Buff and Scrub” program to clean up local schools, Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC)
Metro Washington Chapter decided to embark on a project that would expand its commitment to community service—all the way to Afghanistan.
When the chapter first considered organizing a project to help deployed soldiers, it wanted to support a military unit from the Washington, D.C., region, but none were overseas at the time. A member of the chapter’s community service committee suggested sponsoring a friend, Jeff Pettee, whose New Hampshire-based unit was serving in Afghanistan.
Thus, the project “Shoeboxes for Soldiers” was born.
The 113 soldiers in Pettee’s unit serve as an embedded training team and police mentor team in the Herat province of Afghanistan, overseeing 650 Afghani Army soldiers and 400 Afghani police officers.
As part of the ABC shoebox program, the chapter provides a list of suggested items that will brighten the days of the soldiers. Then, it’s the members’ job to fill up boxes with DVDs, CDs, phone calling cards, magazines, books, video games and hard candy.
The project got off the ground in early May, and so far 49 boxes have been shipped overseas.
“Our members have been really excited,” says Judy Gretsch, director of communications for the ABC Metro Washington Chapter. “Companies that had not been involved in community service in the past have expressed enthusiasm about the project and have already donated boxes.”
Some companies even have been inspired to create their own Shoeboxes for Soldiers committees to encourage participation and support.
The chapter’s community service committee would like to make the project ongoing, potentially adopting another unit if member participation stays strong.
“Even in this economy, you can help as a group and still make a difference,” Gretsch says.