Volunteers assembled care packages during MSAWI’s “Support Our Troops Day“
Henry Schein, Inc. announced that it has donated 1,500 oral health kits to the Major Stuart Adam Wolfer Institute (MSAWI) that were included in care packages prepared for active-duty US troops and veterans in need. MSAWI is a non-profit organisation committed to supporting US troops stationed overseas and in the US. The donation is an initiative of Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global social responsibility programme.
The oral health kits contain a toothbrush and toothpaste and were included in many of the care packages assembled by volunteers during MSAWI’s “Support Our Troops Day” on April 3.
Approximately 2,000 care packages were assembled, 1,500 of which will be sent to troops stationed in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. The remaining 500 care packages will be given to veterans living in homeless and transitional shelters throughout the US. Each care package includes a number of items, such as personal care and hygiene products, books and games, snacks and letters of appreciation from the volunteers.
MSAWI was created in honour of Stuart Adam Wolfer, who began serving in the Army Reserves in 1993 upon his graduation from St. Louis’ Washington University. He served in Kuwait from August 2004 to October 2005, and was re-activated in December 2007 to the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq – Logistics/Operations. On April 6, 2008, he was killed while working out in a fitness centre in Baghdad’s Green Zone during a mortar attack that killed another officer and wounded 17 other soldiers.
“MSAWI is honoured to partner with Henry Schein, a company whose generosity means so much to our troops and veterans,” said Ms. Beverly Wolfer-Nerenberg, President of MSAWI and Major Wolfer’s sister. “MSAWI is designed to get Americans at home into action. We did not simply want to be a fulfilment centre. We wanted all of the ‘Support Our Troops Day’ event participants to recognise to whom they are making and sending care packages, and this day certainly achieves our goal.”
In addition to assembling care packages, MSAWI’s “Support Our Troops Day” featured educational programmes. In the “military academy”, veterans and active-duty soldiers shared their experiences, and in the “boot camp”, children learned to salute, march, and make and read maps. MSAWI’s other flagship programmes include Cell Phones for Soldiers – which has provided troops with more than 900,000 free calling card minutes – and Stars For Our Troops, which transforms old and worn American flags into keepsakes for active-duty soldiers and veterans.
“We are pleased to partner with the Major Stuart Adam Wolfer Institute in its mission to support our armed forces stationed throughout the world and our veterans here at home,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. “By engaging the community in its outreach efforts, the Institute also ensures that our servicemen and women are recognised and honoured by the very people they sacrifice so much to protect. We at Henry Schein are honoured to be a part of that community, and we hope that this donation helps troops and veterans maintain good oral health.”
