MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- As the nation passes its third anniversary in the Global War on Terrorism, families and friends who remain behind continue to offer their support and love to the men and women fighting in the Middle East.
One Beaufort father and daughter team are making the most of their resources and going the extra mile for their loved one.
Maryann Waldrop's daughter and Robert Waldrop's granddaughter, Lt. Cmdr. Erin Felger, a general surgeon with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps in Camp Pendleton, Calif., was deployed to Iraq in February.
The father-daughter duo does their part to help support the war effort by organizing giant community care packages to send to Felger, who in turn distributes the supplies to her troops and the local Iraqi population.
The Waldrops started their care package project a few days before Felger left for Iraq to ensure it got to her as soon as possible.
"We always thought of doing something," said Robert, a World War II veteran and former prisoner of war. "I know how good it is to get packages. I guess a lot of it is because I appreciated getting packages [during] World War II."
"I know from being a military wife how much things from home mean to a [service member]," said Maryann.
Maryann and Robert are not alone in the endeavor; many members throughout their Dataw Island community donated time, effort and hundreds of dollars to supply the troops with as many comforts from home as they could.
"There are some very generous people who helped us," said Maryann. "I was overwhelmed when people started dropping off checks."
The packages for Felger and her troops are not limited to just the food items many deployed service members crave; the packages also include everything from eye drops, sewing and eyeglass repair kits to sunscreen, lip balm and stationary.
Items that have received the most excitement from troops have been beef jerky, sports drink powder, dried fruits, homemade cookies, instant coffee and tuna or chicken lunch packs, said Maryann.
"It's great for our troops to receive items," said Maryann. "We need to support the men and women who are over there serving so bravely."
The duo sent off their second shipment of supplies last week and show no signs of slowing down their efforts any time soon.