Area Kiwanis clubs gathered March 8 to assemble care packages for 200 sailors in Afghanistan. More than 100 people packed Williams Elementary’s cafeteria to thank the men and women serving overseas.

A committee brainstormed items to send and came up with a list of 36 things. The 12 local clubs include Hacienda Heights, La Puente/City of Industry and Walnut Valley. Each collected three items for the packages, according to co-chair Rona Lunde.

“We enjoyed coming together as a division and the feeling of patriotism from doing it, giving back to our sailors and Marines and troops putting themselves in harm’s way,” said Lt. Gov. Lon Salgren. “This is something we can do to make sure they know they’re not forgotten.”

While the boxes were sent to deployed Marines in Iraq last year, the Hacienda Heights club member said the division chose to pay tribute to the Navy this year.

Read more in Melissa Masatani’s story KIWANIS.