By Frank Mulholland / Managing Editor

Perhaps you missed the recent article about Pat and Eric Garlick and their Pride Packages Project that appeared in the Shelbyville Daily Union (See Monday, March 5).

For those who may not be familiar with this project, the Garlicks work tirelessly sending packages to military personnel who do not normally receive such gifts. The packages contain items that many of us may take for granted, but can be very special if you are in a combat zone. Simple little items such as new socks, microwave popcorn, or Girl Scout Cookies can not only feel or taste good, they can flood your mind with warm memories of home.
Pat started this project back in April 2005. Thus far the Garlicks have sent 380 of these packages. The cost of postage alone is $8.10 for each package. Pat estimates it costs about $20-$25 for the items inside the package. Simple math will tell you that so far this project has cost of over $10,000.

You might ask how do the Garlicks do this? Well, the Garlicks hold garage sales in their own garage to raise funds. Pat Garlick speaks at any organization that invites her to bring awareness and possible donations. The entire family helps with the packing, addressing, and garage sales.

The idea behind this project came when their son Evan Garlick, a Marine was stationed in Iraq. Evan wrote his mother talking about how much packages from home can mean in a unfamiliar, frightening situation like Iraq. Just in passing Evan also wrote about all the young military personnel stationed in Iraq who don’t receive mail or packages from home.

That idea that Americans were serving their country in a strange hostile environment and did not receive packages from home, touched Pat’s heart. Her slogan for the project is “Proud To Serve Those Who Serve Us.”
In every package, Pat takes the time to include a personal note and what she calls daily devotions. She also includes her e-mail address and hears back from many of the soldiers and Marines. Pat has stated she will continue to send these packages until all of our service personnel are home for good.

Back here in Shelbyville we are constantly bombarded with news from the war front. Most of the news we hear is bad and consequently many people oppose the war. I personally have some strong misgivings about the situation. However, the facts are those are our sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, people we love and worry about. I am not pushing the idea that if you don’t support the war, then you don’t support the troops. That is propaganda from the Bush administration. However, I am suggesting that we support anything we can do here at home that makes our troops in a combat zone more comfortable.

The Garlick’s project is something the entire community, for that matter, the entire county should be supporting. Whether you are a business like County Market who has generously donated to this project or an individual who has time or money they can devote to this project, we all need to stand up and be counted.

The Pride Packages project is a winner on so many levels. The packages will brighten up some lonely soldier’s day, the people working on the project will have a sense of charity, and by giving, our community will be a better place to live because of that generosity.