Continuing to show the volunteer spirit that made Tennessee famous, Tennesseans are being called on to help support National Guard troops in another state.
The Secure Border Project is making stops across Tennessee for the next two days to collect items of “aid and comfort” to be donated to the 1,000 Texas National Guard troops stationed along the Texas-Mexico border.
A truck collecting items for the project stopped at the Elizabethton Wal-Mart at 9:30 Monday morning to gather items before moving on to Unicoi.
Hampton resident Sherri Hyder was one of the people making a donation help with the project, bringing a box of snacks, powdered water flavoring and a thank-you note for the Guardsmen.
Hyder said she learned of the project while listening to the radio and looked up drop-off locations online.
“I’m busy so I can’t do as much as I would like,” she said. “I heard about this and I thought this is something I can do. I can help with this, and securing our borders is important to me.”
The project is being sponsored by Rep. Timothy Hill, who will be making stops across the state with rallies in Sevierville, Nashville and Memphis to collect supplies to be taken to Texas.
“We want the Texas National Guard, specifically those at the border, to know that Tennessee supports them and is grateful for what they are doing,” Hill said. “This is just a small way for us to say thank you from the people of Tennessee to the people of Texas.”
Hill said he hoped to collect enough supplies to fill the large box truck that he would be taking across the state.
Anyone who would like to donate but missed the local drop-off locations can still contribute. The website, www.secureborderproject.com, lists shipping and contact information to make donations.
Items being collected are basic hygiene items such as razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc; non-perishable snack items and water flavoring powders or drops.