CONTACT: Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo, 518-786-4581 or (cell) 518-225-6649

FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008

ON SITE: Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo, 518-786-4581 or (cell) 518-225-6649

WHO:

Members of the 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation Family Readiness Group, Cohoes Remembers Vets Committee and New York Army National Guard Soldiers will mail donated items.

WHAT:

COHOES, NY (12/01/2008)-- Family members of Capital Region New York Army National Guard Soldiers deployed in Iraq, the Cohoes Remembers Vets Committee and the Veterans of Lansingburgh, Inc. and the Cohoes School District, and the City of Cohoes will mail 1000 pounds of donated items to local Soldiers serving in Iraq Tuesday morning at the Cohoes Post Office. The event culminates a collection drive that began in November to send holiday packages to 230 New York Army National Guard serving in Iraq. Soldiers and military family members will be unloading boxes at the post office.

WHEN:

10 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 2.

WHERE:

Cohoes Post Office, 101 Mohawk St., Cohoes, NY 12047

WHY: The 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation (Assault Helicopter) which has units in Albany and on Long Island deployed to Iraq in August to provide helicopter transport support to Multinational Corps Iraq. The unit's Family Readiness Group has teamed up with the veterans in Cohoes and Lansingburgh which collected items from drop boxes at the Cohoes High School, Cohoes Middle School, Harmony Hill Elementary School, Van Schaick Elementary School. Page Avenue School, Marra's Pharmacy, the Veterans of Lansingburgh, the Cohoes Community Center, The Cohoes Knights of Columbus, the Cohoes-Waterford Elks, the American Legion and Cohoes City Hall. Items collected in these boxes were boxed and being shipped to the deployed soldiers. Coverage and Visual Opportunity: 240 boxes will be delivered to the Cohoes Post Office via military vehicle on tuesday. Veterans, soldiers and family members will form a daisy chain to pass the boxes from the truck into the post office. Col. Michael Bobeck, commander of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade , the higher headquarters for the deployed aviators, will be available to tlak about the Soldiers mission and the impact that getting packages from home has for deployed servicemembers. Members of the Family Readiness Group will also be present. Background: Items collected included drink mix, disposable cameras, snake items of all kinds, hand lotion, baby wipes, personal hygiene products, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, hard candy, playing cards, puzzle books, paperback books, compact discs, AA or AAA batteries, microwave popcorn and pasta. "Operation Holiday Cheer was a huge success. The generosity of the Cohoes community has been incredible. What better way to let our Soldiers know they are not forgotten than to receive a holiday package of essentials and treats," said Sherry Imbarrato, 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation Family Readiness Group Coordinator. "We can't thank them enough for their time, effort and thoughtfulness." A similar drive took place in Long Island to ensure all 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation Soldiers receive holiday packages. These items are especially appreciated by Soldiers deployed in remote locations where there is no Army and Air Force Exchange store."