Care
packages have helped fulfill many of our soldiers wants and needs.
There's one item that tops that list of "wants" you may not
expect troops to be thinking about.
But now a local business has picked up on that demand.
What is it that they say they want? Chocolate.
There's a whole lot of it inside one Fairfield company.
So workers did some research and found a way to get it to troops
in time for the holidays.
You can grab a Hershey bar whenever you want.
Our soldier's overseas can't.
So, the people at Carson Enterprises, where they customize candy
bar wrappers, got creative.
"They're a very long way from home, but hopefully this will bring
them a bit closer for the holidays," said Joe Mays, of Carson
Wrapped Chocolates.
Employees at the Fairfield business on Homeward way designed a
special wrapper with a message of peace and support.
On Friday they shipped 5,000 of the customized candy bars to
soldiers in 80 units in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea.
"It's the same for everyone in the county who watches the news
every day," said Scott Frederick, of Carson Wrapped Chocolate. "At
some level everyone says, 'What can I do for these young men and
women overseas, especially during the holiday season?,' -- this is
what we came up with."
The idea came when workers at the plant came across the website
"AnySoldier.com."
It's where soldiers give thanks for support and list their
greatest desires, including chocolate.
"Overwhelmingly we saw they wanted two things more than anything
else: letters from home and candy -- and chocolate," said Frederick.
"We knew somehow we could put these together."
Along with the sweet treat comes a response to the soldiers'
other request.
Cards of encouragement Carson Enterprises collected from students
from all over the country.
"They're doing so much for us," said Frederick. "It means a lot
to me. But, this is some way I can thank them -- I'm glad I could do
it."
Since the packages were sent out on Friday they should get to our
troops in about two weeks.
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