Newburgh Free Academy, Class of 2001.
Marine Lcpl Elizabeth Reyes
Lance Corp. Brandon Spagnoli
MARINE GYSGT LUIS A. MERCADO JR.
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NEW: Article posted on 11/26/2011
Marine Sgt. Luis Mercado Jr. is the most popular man in his platoon when a package arrives in Iraq from his mom in Orange County. Surrounded by many soldiers, he distributes supplies of socks, drinks and food. Two large boxes of potato chips "disappear in 10 seconds, as if [the soldiers] have never eaten chips before," says Mercado.
Luz Mercado sends out the care packages daily to boost the soldiers' morale. Sponsoring her son's platoon has become her mission since their deployment to Iraq. "We have a mini Sam's Club in our garage," Luis Mercado Sr. says. "All you need is a shopping cart to go down the aisles...Things we take for granted, they appreciate a great deal. At 7:30 a.m., it is already 137 degrees there, so drinks are very important."
Luz operated as a one-person charity for months; now she is affiliated with the non-profit organization Support Our Heroes. "it was getting costly, about $30 to $40, to send the packages," says Luis Sr. The couple have been overwhelmed by the public's response to recent publicity, which sparked donations from families and organizations. "One child sent a letter with a check for $5. He said it was all he could do now, but when he gets older he wants to be a Marine," says Luis Sr..
Luz says the soldiers are doing more for her than she can for them. "Whether we believe in the war or not, they're giving us their lives."
Contributions can be made out to:
"Support Our Heroes"
c/o Luz Mercado
18 Windsor Square Drive
New Windsor, NY, 12553.
Call (845)569-9450
To contact us via email, click Here.
A Very Special THANK YOU is in order to:
Support Our Heroes Founder Lucy Mercado would like to thank the Junior Division #5 Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Of Monroe, NY They donated over $500 worth of goods from WAL-MART in Monroe
Lucy Mercado (center)
with the Junior Division
Fred Dana
of Dana Distributors, Inc. of Goshen, NY
for all the water and drinks, they donated To Our Troops.
and to
Matt Veronesi
- Recreation Director Of The Town Of New Windsor
for all the necessary items that we need for our Troops currently serving in Iraq.
I'm Sure All Our Americans Serving in Iraq are also greatly Feeling Grateful that people like the above contributors remember that we are still over in Iraq. Keeping us safe back here in the United States.
Remember This - Gone But Not Forgotten!!!