The Cranford Weekend: Students to Stuff Shoeboxes For U.S. Troops

This Saturday and Parish will pack all the donated items they’ve collected over the past two months into shoeboxes and ship them to U.S. troops overseas, including some soldiers from Cranford.

“Without our military we wouldn’t be able to do a lot of the things we do as a community,” said Kerri Cartnick, a parent who helped to organize this charity event. “They’re keeping us safe and protecting us, and that’s what we’re trying to teach our kids.”

The kids at the school have already been working for this charity cause, raising $1,284 through a small change drive beginning Feb. 16. The second grade class collected the most and won a cupcake party.

“It’s also to teach the kids to give back,” said Cartnick. “A lot of the kids are going to pack the boxes…they‘re into it anyway, last year they collected close to the same amount for Haiti. For the most part, when the kids are asked to help and support, they do so willingly.”

The $1,284, along with collections at St. Michael’s Church mass and a contribution by a Linden firehouse where local parent Kevin Konecny works, brought the total to $1,834, which will help to offset the costs of shipping the hundreds of boxes to troops.

It’s not too late to contribute or to volunteer, though, because from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday parents, students, members of the parish, and volunteers will be backing boxes with lip balm, bars of soap, small bottles of shampoo, pens, writing paper, and much more, all to be sent to American soldiers based overseas. They are still accepting donations and volunteers. For a full list of items needed, see the .

More events this weekend:

Friday, April 1

• varsity sports on Friday: Varsity baseball at Union High School at 4 p.m. Varsity softball at Linden High School at 4 p.m. Varsity tennis at home vs. Summit High School at 4 p.m. Girls varsity lacrosse at home vs. Summit High School at 4 p.m. Boys varsity lacrosse at Summit High School at 4 p.m.

Saturday, April 2

• Cranford High School coed varsity spring track will compete at the Summit Relays at 10 a.m.

• Cranford High School varsity baseball will play away at St. Peter’s Prep High School at 11 a.m.

• Over in Westfield, the Presbyterian Church in Westfield Men’s Fellowship group from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the assembly hall for a breakfast and group discussion.

Sunday, April 3

• Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar of the Greater New Jersey Conference will preach at the at 9:30 a.m. as the church celebrates its 150th anniversary.