Old Bridge Elks lodge boxes gifts for troops in Iraq Published in the Home News Tribune 11/06/04 By DINA GUIRGUIS STAFF WRITER OLD BRIDGE: Members of the Old Bridge Elks Lodge 2229 are just trying to do their part. The group collected enough items -- ranging from toothpaste to checker games -- to fill 32 boxes that will be sent to troops in Iraq. "I heard that the National Elks organization had an 'Adopt Our Troops' program, and when I came to the lodge with it, everyone wanted to help," said Chuck Lehr, chairman of the Elks Veterans Committee. Chuck's niece, Pfc. Jennifer Lehr, has been stationed in Iraq for the past eight months, and the donations will be sent to her platoon at Camp Cooke in Taji -- just 12 miles north of Baghdad. "Everybody's going to use this stuff, we all need it," said Jennifer, who was on a two-week leave from duty. She will return to Iraq next week. Jennifer, her parents, her uncle and her other volunteers from the Elks gathered at the lodge yesterday to put the final touches on the packages, which were shipped yesterday afternoon. The project started three months ago, and for the past six weeks, Chuck has been collecting the items, sorting them and packing them. "It's great that people care and are trying to help us," said Jennifer, 20. Jennifer is serving in the Army BCO 27th MSB 1st Cavalry Division. She is responsible for driving trucks full of equipment to troops stationed around the country. According to Jennifer, the items she and her fellow soldiers miss the most are entertainment items. They are always looking for things like cards, games and DVDs, she said. But in addition to entertainment items, Jennifer said the one thing she missed the most was fast food. There's a Burger King on the base, but it doesn't taste like Burger King, she said. Instead, the troops call it Camel King. When she returns to duty, Jennifer will be responsible for helping move equipment back to Kuwait. She hopes to be do