Antonio Johnson deployed to Afghanistan in August with 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division of Fort Bragg, N.C.
Shortly after he left his mother, Linda Johnson, began thinking of something she could do to help her son and other troops in Afghanistan.
“I wanted to lift their spirits, to make them feel good about not being able to be home with their families,” Johnson said.
With the help of many volunteers and local business donations Johnson has finished 116 care packages to send overseas.
One of Johnson’s neighbors did a fundraiser at work to help get items for the care packages.
“When she backed her car up to my door there was just so much stuff it scared me. Donations kept coming we kind of got slow a minute here and fast a minute there. I wish I could do it over again, I would love to do it over again,” Johnson said.
Students from Johnakin Middle School’s Beta Club also helped gather donations and assemble the packages.
“All of this was the children’s idea. This was one of the main projects they wanted to do, for about two months at school they have been gathering the supplies for the boxes,” Candace Huggins, sponsor, Johnakin Junior Beta Club, said.
“Its good to support the troops who are helping us, and I thought with the help we could give them, we should do it,” Jade Elvis, Johnakin Junior Beta Club member, said.
The care packages will be sent to Camp Lindsey in Afghanistan this week.
“I think it will really make them feel good for them to know that it is not just their families that’s looking out for them. And wishing for them to come home, wanting them to come home, wishing there was a day that Obama would say everybody come home. I’m just waiting on that day,” Johnson said.
Photo Contributed
Students from MTEC dropped off the donations they collected for the care packages at the Marion Fire Department on Monday.
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