Troop support

Alyssa Verde, Mitch Kositzky and J.T. Rotcoff, members of the junior high youth group at Holy Spirit Parish in Winfield Township, Ind., fill mailing boxes with items for military personnel serving in Iraq. This is the third consecutive year that the youth group, working with donations from the parish, prepared packages that included magazines, canned goods, tissues and wipes, socks, beef jerky, hard candy, gum, fruit snacks and powdered drink mixes.

This project "is a way to serve your country," Sgt. Gary Kinney, a 17-year military veteran and National Guard recruiter who served one tour of duty in Iraq, told the youth. Director of faith formation at Holy Spirit Mickey Manoski said, "Whether you agree or disagree with the war, we need to support those who are risking their lives for us."

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