Reading and hearing about the troops fighting in Iraq got Alice Flocken thinking.

Wouldn/t it be nice to do something for them 77 something to show that she cared.

The quickly approaching Christmas season would be the perfect occasion, the Minerva Club member decided, to send soldiers these gifts from the heart.

Flocken and fellow club members Jayn Sherman, Peggy Johnsen, Adelaide Daniels and Sara Malmen met Dec. 20 at Vandenberg Air Force Base to put together care packages to be mailed to soldiers from California stationed in Iraq.

The packages were mailed Dec. 21.

"I wanted to do something for the troops," said Flocken, whose husband is a retired Air Force officer. "It was fun."

Three of the other women/s husbands also served in the military.

Together, Flocken and Johnsen bought a variety of hygiene and other personal products including eye drops, nose spray, razors, waterless hand cleaner, towels, socks, shoe inserts, stationary, pens and more for 50 soldiers.

Wanting the items to go specifically to soldiers in all branches of the military from the Central Coast and California, Flocken looked to various sources for names of soldiers.

Some of the names were received through Vandenberg Air Force Base and Flocken/s church. One of the other four women found out some names of soldiers from the San Francisco Bay Area. Six of these soldiers were local.

In addition to sending needed supplies, the women also added some edibles, including different flavors of hard candy, raisins, popcorn and peanuts.

"We had to throw in some treats for them," Flocken said.

While making the care packages was her idea, Flocken credited Sherman with rallying the Minerva Club troops to donate funds for the effort.

Sherman said she first approached the club/s board of directors, who contributed ,500.

The next day, during a club function, she said she asked the members present about donating as well.

"I asked them if they wanted to match my ,100," Sherman said. "And a lot of them did."

Others mailed in their donations.

In all, the members contributed about ,1,400.

"She/s a good fund raiser," Flocken said of Sherman.

"We raised enough money to do it again," Flocken added, noting they might send more packages sometime in March.

Flocken noted the women also sent personalized cards to the soldiers letting them know that they would like to hear back from them with lists of things they need.

Hearing back from the soldiers would also let the women know the packages had been received, Flocken said, adding they haven/t yet heard from any of the soldiers.

"We intend to keep this going as a project," Sherman said, noting that already individuals and businesses are getting involved by donating different items such as coffee, tea, games, toiletries and more.

Sherman said she is currently putting together a shipment to an American military hospital in Germany, Landstuhl Medical Center.

While the money raised for the first shipment of packages was generated solely from Minerva Club members, Flocken said the club would also welcome donations from the community.

To make a donation or for more information, phone the Minerva Club at 925-3203.

* Staff Writer Britt Fairchild can be reached at 739-2220 or by e-mail at bfairchild@pulitzer.net.

Jan. 15, 2005