photo: provided by Stephanie Manning

by Jeffrey Payne
edited by Nalina Shapiro

Junior Stephanie Manning is working to send care packages and letters to troops overseas while facing a lack of student interest in donating to the project.

The packages and letters will be sent to soldiers who have connections with the students and faculty at Franklin Pierce University. However, students have not shown much interest in helping out with the packages and letters. So far 31 students have signed up to purchase food and toiletries for the soldiers and 20 have signed up to send letters. Manning said the project is “fun but really hard because people are reluctant to help.”

Junior Tanya Petronio, who is participating in the project, said, “I think it’s a great idea and it’s too bad more people don’t participate.”

Manning began with collecting addresses of soldiers overseas who she would be sending the packages and letters too. She then began having students and faculty write letters and sign up to purchase items for the soldiers. Junior Aaron Keenan has a friend overseas who will be receiving these packages. “I enjoyed this project because it’s for a good cause and I have a friend overseas who will be receiving these packages and I know he’ll enjoy them.” Packages are being sent to both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Manning came up with this project in order to complete her leadership certification from the New Hampshire Campus Compact. The NHCC gives community service members the chance to participate in a leadership training program.

“We have to attend five conferences. Some are workshops and some are lectures which cover both community service and student government,” said sophomore Paula Slowe who is also working on a project for the leadership certification.

Those who participate must also complete a project to earn their certification. “We had to meet with Marabeth [Farmer], identify a need on campus, and find a community partner. We need at least five volunteers and have to take pictures as well as make a social networking site for the project,” said Slowe.

Manning proposed the idea for the project to Assistant Director of Community Service, Marabeth Farmer, during the fall semester. “I think it’s a great idea. It’s important to support our soldiers,” said Farmer. “We’re doing this in cooperation with the Jaffrey American Legion.”

All items and letters are due to Manning by Wednesday March 10. The packages will be sent to the American Legion in Jaffrey on March 20.