Blue Star Mothers In Need Of Donations

Tuesday, April 3rd 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

Oklahoma's Blue Star Mothers say they need help. In the 4 years since the war in Iraq began, they've sent thousands of Freedom Boxes to service members overseas. The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports the supply cupboard is not bare, but it's close.

Emma Murray is a Specialist 4 in the Army National Guard. She's done a tour in Iraq, and Tuesday she and Patty Wimberly were packing up a couple of Freedom Boxes that will go to someone else who is still over there.

â€œThe average cost for a standard box is $20 to $22,â€ said Blue Star Mother Lynn Mushenski.

Mushenski says in four years they've spent $400,000 on postage alone. That's the cost of mailing 20,000 boxes overseas. During that time there have been generous donations from individuals, schools and businesses, but those donations have dwindled even though the need has remained fairly constant.

â€œIf we don't have postage, we can't ship the boxes. If we don't have contents, the postage isn't any good because we have nothing to put in the boxes," Mushenski said.

The Blue Star Mothers have a couple of exciting projects coming later this spring that involve hospital visitations, but if you'd like to help them immediately, they have a website, www.okbluestarmothers.org.