Blue Star Mothers of Henderson and Boulder City seek donations, volunteers for Christmas stockings

For the past three years, the Blue Star Mothers of Henderson and Boulder City has collected gifts, stuffed homemade stockings, packaged postal boxes and sent everything thousands of miles overseas to deliver a taste of the holidays to military families.

"Everyone should have Christmas," said Cheré Pedersen, a member of Blue Star Mothers. "We get to send them a taste of home."

Blue Star Mothers plans to stuff stockings and prepare packages from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday , 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 29 and 30 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 1 inside Ballrooms A and B at the Henderson Convention Center, 200 S. Water St.

"We have always sent our troops packages," Pedersen said, "b ut nothing on this scale."

Last year, Blue Star Mothers sent 1,286 stockings, she said.

"This year, our goal is 1,500 stockings," Pedersen said. "And we are close to making it."

Each stocking is homemade and filled with anything from food items and powdered drink mixes to magazines, playing cards and hygiene products.

The group still is collecting items such as candy, gum , granola bars, beef jerky, dried fruit, white socks, canned meat such as chicken salad, Vienna cocktail franks and tuna, roll-on deodorant and hand and foot warmers.

Even if people don't have money to purchase items, Pedersen said there are creative ways to contribute . Residents can collect condiment packages such as hot sauce from taco restaurants or even magazines found around the house.

Pedersen and Marina Vance, the president of Blue Star Mothers, have gone to garage sales as closing time approaches.

"I ask (the people selling the items) about the CDs or DVDs left over and tell them where I plan to send them," Pedersen said. "I usually buy them for $5 or they just give them to me."

Pedersen said the storage unit holding the items is full, but more items still are needed.

Additionally, the group wants to collect cards and notes to send to the troops .

"They love getting letters and pictures from children," Pedersen said.

Vance said it is good for children to get involved so they can learn more about soldiers and what they are doing overseas.

Pedersen said students from four schools are partnering with Blue Star Mothers to write notes and letters to soldiers.

People also can volunteer by helping stuff stockings.

"I have a table for volunteers to read through notes," Pedersen said. "I make sure every letter is read through to make sure nothing inappropriate is sent."

Last year, about 300 people showed up to help.

"It's going to be more this year," Pedersen said. "I've been getting calls since August from people wanting to help."

Blue Star Mothers also needs funds to ship the boxes.

Each box costs $12.95 to mail, with an estimated cost of $9,500 to ship everything.

The organization has put on bake sales and fundraisers to raise the money.

Pedersen said the boxes take a week to two weeks to reach the troops.

"Just depending on how remote they are," she said.

Last year, Pedersen said, the boxes went out before Thanksgiving.

"And we were told some of them got their boxes by Thanksgiving," Pedersen added.

To avoid early boxes, Pedersen said the organization pushed back the shipping date this year.

Blue Star Mothers still is accepting the names of Henderson soldiers who need stockings.

"We are taking as many names as we can get," Vance said. "Any branch of the military. It doesn't matter."

The organization plans to send stockings to Henderson servicemembers and other members of their squad.

"Some of the soldiers don't get anything," Pedersen said.

For more information, contact Pedersen at bluestarmomsnv@yahoo.com.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.