Adrian Eagles, American Legion Post 97 sending care packages to deployed soldiers

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·4 min read
Army National Guard soldiers, from left, Ian Bacon, Jeremy Brooket, Mitchell Ramsey and Quin Davis, pose for a photo inside their tent while stationed in Syria. The soldiers have been deployed to Syria since October. The deployment is a one-year term, and they are expected to return home Oct. 23.
Army National Guard soldiers, from left, Ian Bacon, Jeremy Brooket, Mitchell Ramsey and Quin Davis, pose for a photo inside their tent while stationed in Syria. The soldiers have been deployed to Syria since October. The deployment is a one-year term, and they are expected to return home Oct. 23.

ADRIAN — Nine soldiers who have been deployed to Syria since October, all with ties to Lenawee County, will find out in early April how much their service in the armed forces means to people back home.

As a way of thanking the soldiers for their service in the Army National Guard, nine individual care packages will be shipped from Adrian to the base in Syria where the soldiers are stationed. The goal of the care packages is to remind each of the deployed men about their homes, families and lives waiting for their safe return to Lenawee County.

The packages are being brought together through the combined efforts of the Adrian Eagles Order No. 2371 and American Legion Post 97 in Adrian. There has also been a concentrated effort throughout the community, from individuals and businesses to other local military organizations, to make sure all of the needed items in the care packages are provided — and then some.

The Adrian Eagles, last week, conducted a donation drive with Post 97 and collected a number of items that will be sent to the soldiers later this month with the expectation the packages will arrive in Syria in time for Easter, which is April 9.

Jim Flarity, left, and Terry Graham, right, both members of the Adrian Eagles Order No. 2371 and American Legion Post 97 in Adrian, have been in charge of coordinating a collection of items to be included in care packages for nine soldiers deployed to Syria. The soldiers, who are part of the Army National Guard, all have ties to Lenawee County.
Jim Flarity, left, and Terry Graham, right, both members of the Adrian Eagles Order No. 2371 and American Legion Post 97 in Adrian, have been in charge of coordinating a collection of items to be included in care packages for nine soldiers deployed to Syria. The soldiers, who are part of the Army National Guard, all have ties to Lenawee County.

A planned luncheon/dinner event Saturday at the Eagles Hall, 2570 W. Beecher St., Adrian, was an additional opportunity for the public to get involved and help with the mission.

Those who would like to contribute to the items for the care packages can contact Jim Flarity at 931-217-4062 or Terry Graham at 517-260-4978. Both Flarity and Graham are members of the Eagles and Post 97.

The collection drive is scheduled to continue through today, but Flarity said if people want to bring in more donations, those items will be put to good use for the deployed servicemen. The Adrian Eagles is open today from noon to 7 p.m.

“There’s a whole battalion (in Syria) from Michigan, but the nine (we are sponsoring) are from Lenawee County,” Graham said Thursday afternoon at the Adrian Eagles.

The primary reason the Eagles and Post 97 are sponsoring the nine soldiers — in addition to them being from Lenawee County — is because of Spc. Jeremy Brooket, who is on his first deployment. Brooket is the son of Kevin Brooket and Becky Garza, who also is a member of the Eagles and Post 97. The family is from the Adrian and Clayton areas, Flarity said.

The soldiers, who are on assignment for security, peacekeeping operations and minor patrols, are anticipated to return back home to Lenawee County Oct. 23.

Lenawee County soldiers with the Army National Guard have been deployed to Syria on a peacekeeping mission since October. The deployment is for a term of one year, and they are expected to return Oct. 23. Pictured, in no particular order, are Sgt. Andrew Giles, Cpl. Alexander Dick, Spc. Jeremy Brooket, Spc. Quin Davis, Spc. Dakota Manee, Spc. Austin Mitchell, Pfc. Gavin Dingman and Pfc. Donovan Riley.

By Thursday, two collection bins inside the Eagles were nearly full to the brim with several of the items requested for the care packages. People can still donate any of the following items:

  • Beef jerky

  • Ramen noodles

  • Emergen-C packets

  • Oatmeal packets

  • Pain killer pills (Tylenol, Advil, etc.)

  • Flavored drink packets

  • Mixed nut packs

  • Black or green socks

  • Baby wipes

  • Playing cards

  • Sunscreen

  • Toiletries

  • Reading materials (magazines, newspapers, etc.)

  • Candy/gum

  • Personalized notes

  • Foot powder

  • Lip balm

  • Deodorant

  • Lens cleaning wipes

  • Nyquil (pill form only)

Alcoholic products will not be allowed as part of any item that is to be shipped.

Army National Guard Spc. Jeremy Brooket, who has familial ties to Lenawee County, smiles while holding his "adopted deployment" dog, Athena. Brooket and eight other soldiers, all with ties to Lenawee County, have been deployed to Syria since October on an assignment for security, peacekeeping operations and minor patrols. The deployment is for one year.

“I’ve received so many care packages being deployed myself,” Flarity said Thursday. “I’ve never put anything together like this before. Two collection boxes (inside the Eagles Hall) are nearly full. It’s been great to see the support that we have been receiving from the community.”

Monahan’s Meat Market, for instance, donated hot dogs and several pounds of pork to be used for pulled pork during Saturday’s luncheon.

Other businesses that made substantial contributions for the care packages included TLC Community Credit Union; Ace Hardware; Adrian Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Legion and the Disabled American Veterans pitched in $200 each for shipping costs; Aubree’s Pizzeria and Grill; Club 109; Tractor Supply Co.; Clift Buick and GMC; Country Market; and Onsted Sons of the American Legion.

First grade students at Adrian’s Lincoln Elementary School in Natasha Gallant’s classroom added their own touch to the care packages, designing and decorating the inside flaps of the boxes with colors of red, white and blue, the American flag and words of inspiration. The students also added notes inside the care packages thanking the soldiers for their service.

First grade students from Adrian's Lincoln Elementary School in Natasha Gallant's classroom assisted Adrian Eagles No. 2371 and American Legion Post 97 in Adrian with creating care packages for nine Lenawee County soldiers who are deployed to Syria with the Army National Guard. The students added their own touch to the care packages, designing and decorating the inside flaps of the boxes with colors of red, white and blue, the American flag and words of inspiration.

Flarity is a 12-year Army veteran with 39 months deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Graham was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps from 1975-79. Both of them said they are proud to see local military organizations working together to help active duty service members.

The motto of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles is "People Helping People."

“They didn’t even do care packages back in my military days, but I’m trying my best to give back,” Graham said. “I’m really proud of these guys. The nine from Lenawee County volunteered for their deployment. They weren’t ordered to go. They volunteered.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Eagles, American Legion Post sending care packages to soldiers