Staff Writer

For the past three years, Kissimmee's Irene Lamano has made the lives of U.S. soldiers in the Middle East a little bit better — all the way from over here.

And, based on the feedback she's received, through letters and even a plaque from a colonel in Operation Iraqi Freedom, they appreciate it and hope that it continues.

Lamano just completed Phase One of the third installment of Treats for Troops at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church on John Young Parkway. Before and after each mass the past two weekends, the Council of Catholic Women asked for donations of little things that could make an overseas serviceman's day just a little brighter — things like candy, cereal bars, hot chocolate packets, decks of cards, dice and small games.

“It's the stuff these guys and gals would never find overseas,” she said. “You tend to overlook those things and not notice them until you don't have them.”

The second phase is in full swing. Lamano took the latest round of donations to a spare bedroom in her home and has an assembly line set up. She loads them into the Postal Service's “If It Fits It Ships” boxes. Gracious donations from the Holy Redeemer congregation have helped cover the $10 per box shipping fee.

“In addition to the items, we asked for cash donations to help with the mailing, and we'd collected over $400 and I hadn't finished counting,” Lamano said. “You would think that the government would have a program to ship items overseas to its own soldiers for free.”

Treats for Troops came on the heels of another of Lamano's community projects that involve families. She spearheaded the Bags of Love campaign, which assembled bags of necessities for women who had to suddenly go to the local Center Against Spouse Abuse to get away from abusive house situations in a hurry.

Through the church bulletin, Lamano, the parish's Family Commission chairperson, started asking for donations of goods and for military APO and FPO mailing addresses to send them.

Along with the goodies, a parishioner-made homemade rosary and a prayer card go into each shipment. Each person who donates also receives a card with The Prayer For Our Troops and a plastic soldier figurine. 

“It keeps getting bigger and better and has blossomed into a wonderful project,” she said.

Lamano said her spare room is still full of items to box up.

Those who wish to donate can take items to the main office at Holy Redeemer, with a Treats for Troops note on it.

“If more comes in, I'll make more boxes,” she said.