Newburgh Free Academy, Class of 2001.
S.SGT. Desiree Ornelaz
Spc. Luis Rodriguez
U.S.M.C. is from California
From Harriman, NY
Marine Sgt. Luis Mercado, Jr.
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W e l c o m e
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."
June 29, 2007
Support Our Heroes Collecting Contributions
As summer temperatures approach the 100-degree mark and many find it unbearable, New Windsor resident Luz Mercado can imagine how much hotter it could be.
Mercado has gotten a first-hand account from her son, Marine Sgt. Luis Mercado Jr., of temperatures known to reach nearly 140 degrees in Iraq.
Thanks to organizations such as Support Our Heroes, founded by Mercado, U.S. soldiers fighting in a foreign land can count on receiving care packages that include the bare necessities as long as contributions allow.
Items often taken for granted, such as socks, wipes, Q-tips, toothpaste, feminine toiletries, energy bars and drinks, are among the most useful.
To find out more about this organization, call 569-9450. Contributions can be sent to: Support Our Heroes, c/o Luz Mercado, 18 Windsor Square Drive, New Windsor, NY 12553.