The Ocean City Exchange Club has donated $7,000 to American Legion Post 524 to help fund monthly Coffee Express Care Package shipments to military personnel serving overseas. The program packs and mails items donated by many local businesses as a way to say “thank you for your service,” and also to bring a taste of the Jersey Shore to those far away.
According to program Chairman John Laughlin, this is the ninth year that care packages have been assembled at Post 524 and shipped worldwide. Over 1,500 packages have been delivered to date.
The Exchange Club donation, the result of funds raised during its annual Roger La Rosa Charity Golf Tournament, will fund the mailing of care packages well into the next year, according to Legion Adjutant Jack Hagan. “It’s kind of a costly program,” he said, “so we are very thankful.”
“Our main areas of focus,” said Exchange Club Board of Directors John Van Stone, “we call the three C’s: children, community, and country. Today’s donation really comes under that third C.”
Both organizations receive letters from military personnel thanking them for remembering their sacrifices in the field. One such correspondence recently came from US Air Force Staff Sargent Andrew Mosley, stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
“I’m writing to let you know that I received a care package from the American Legion Post 524 and I was utterly blown away by your thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity in sending it. Talk about bringing a slice of home to a weary warrior. I’m just over half way done with a six month deployment and all of the items in the package, from the popcorn, to the taffy, to the coffee from Ocean City, NJ just plain made me happy and hopeful about getting back home to the shore.”
For more information about the Ocean City Exchange Club, visit ocxc.org or call Club President Jerry Kanefsky at (609) 432-4555.
The Ocean City American Legion can be contacted by visiting legion524ocnj.org or by contacting Jack Hagan at adjutant@legion524ocnj.org .
