Local club brings Christmas cheer to veterans in hospital

Xi Chi Chapter 5456 of ESA International in O’Fallon traveled to the Marion VA Hospital on Saturday, Dec. 16 to deliver Christmas stockings to the veterans.

In the stockings were Christmas cards, phone cards, hygiene items, candy canes, candy, puzzle books, ink pens and decks of cards. Each veteran also received a blanket. Books, hygiene items and dental packs were also donated to the hospital to be used for the veterans.

In addition to this program, Xi Chi Chapter 5456 also supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Easter Seals or and runs its own Hope for Heroes program.

With military operations continuing in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Hope for Heroes program is still in need of support. Part of the support is collecting cell phones to recycle through “Cell Phones for Soldiers,” which provides phone cards for deployed military members. There is a continuing need for snack items, toiletries, DVDs and hand-held games to be sent to wounded warriors returning for treatment, along with support to area deployed troops in Afghanistan.

Local Hope for Heroes donates drop-off sites include: SuprTEK, 620 Pierce Blvd. in O’Fallon; BC Signs, 620 W. U.S. Highway 50 in O’Fallon; Progressive Property Network Inc. in O’Fallon; Gifts for Individuals in O’Fallon; Frieze Harley-Davidson in O’Fallon; and O’Fallon City Hall.

Xi Chi Chapter 5456 has monthly meetings at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights.

For more information on the group, contact Fran Harris Shaffer at 618-593-3488 or email at bootscutie@hotmail.com or go online at xi-chi.org or find the club on Facebook.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Local club brings Christmas cheer to veterans in hospital."