Darien Little League collected soap, playing cards, batteries, tea and other non-perishable items Saturday as it began Operation DLL Cares. The items DLL collects at McGuane Park will be shipped to U.S. soldiers serving overseas. The drive goes through Memorial Day.
Tommy Farren, a Darien High School junior, organized the event. He helped the past two years. His father, Tony, is the president of Darien Little League. "We had a lot of stuff beforehand this year,'' Tommy said. "When we get more we'll begin to pack it up." Each box contains a letter from a Darien child and a baseball, along with donations.
Ricky Miller and Dan Pidgeon, Farren's teammates on the Darien High baseball team, assisted him in packing boxes and collecting goods. "I enjoy helping the troops,'' Ricky says. "It's good when we get the letters back from the soldiers to see how much they appreciate it." Added Pidgeon: "I like helping the troops any way that I can."
Farren's mother, Maria, said Tommy and his three siblings have been part of the drive since its inception. Katie, 15, Mikey, 13, and Jack, 11, all were at McGuane Saturday to assist. "I told our kids when it started we were going to do this as a family,'' Maria says. "There's a lot that's involved with it. The marketing, the fliers, getting the word out, the fund-raising. They learn a lot of people skills. It's a lot of work, but when you get a letter back it's all worth it."
Maria says they collected nearly 40 different addresses to send donations. Some of the boxes are geared specifically for women soldiers. The drive continues Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Monday from 12 a.m.-3 p.m. at McGuane. Click here for a list of items to donate.
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