Dickinson County residents collect items for soldiers' Christmas.
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IRON MOUNTAIN -- It's over two months away, but people in Iron Mountain bought and dropped off presents at the Dollar Tree on Saturday to make it to the troops in time for Christmas.
"The thing that means the most over there is when you get something from home," said Army National Guard soldier, Jacob Simonetti. "It kind of takes your mind off things, and reminds you, you got people at home that care about you."
People donated items for 350 stockings. Volunteers sewed 310 stockings, and then passed them out at Dollar Tree and Family Video. Most customers filled them with items they purchased inside.
People bought toiletries, like toothbrushes and deodorant. They also stuffed candy and Silly String into the stockings.
"These are going to Iraq and Afghanistan," said project organizer, Denise Formolo. "We have a process that Bobbie does to make sure they get to the soldiers that need them."
And while they shopped, Mariam Edwards and Iris Furlo entertained everyone with their music.
The stockings will be shipped with boxes from the Eric Palmisano Project.
Palmisano was a soldier from Spread Eagle, Wisconsin who died in Iraq in April, 2006.
"I said to my husband, 'What do I do with these boxes now?'", said Eric's mom, Bobbie Samme. "And my husband said, 'Why don't we repack them, take out the personal items, repack them and send them back to his unit?' They can use his items. Eric can't, but they can."
Items can also be dropped off when the stockings getting packed up on Tuesday night at the Spread Eagle Club in Florence, Wisconsin, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
