BHC drive brings in donations for 50+ military care packages

2 men holding plastic bags of groceries & lots of groceries in back of SUVThanks to the generous donations from Black Hawk College employees and students and the community, military members serving overseas will receive care packages in the new year.

The BHC Military Students and Veterans Club collected cash donations and care package items at both college campuses.

Jason Gilbraith with Regional Media in Kewanee – whose son, Chandler, is a student veteran at the BHC East Campus – led a collection in the Kewanee area that garnered a dozen boxes of donations. One of the major contributors was Everett Whitcher, owner of the Kewanee Save-A-Lot grocery store.

More than $1,200 in cash also was donated, including significant donations from Blackhawk Electric, Christ the King Catholic Church Social Concerns Committee and the Moline Breakfast Optimist Club.

Club members Luke DeMink (pictured on left) and Aaron Sanchez (pictured on right) used the donations to purchase three shopping carts full of items at Save-A-Lot in Kewanee. The club also bought beef jerky from a local producer through the East Campus Living in Faith Together (LIFT) club.

2 men & 1 woman in store with 3 carts of groceries

All of the items were given to the USO of Illinois to create more than 50 care packages that will be sent to troops overseas.

“It was great to see the community come together for the troops serving overseas,” said Tom Reagan, coordinator of veterans services at Black Hawk College.

“Thanks to their generosity, our service members will get to enjoy a little taste of home,” he said.