Aspiring Eagle Scout On Quest To Collect Items For Military Care Boxes

OAK LAWN, IL — An Eagle Scout candidate is seeking donations for care packages to be sent to miliary overseas. Will Martin, 17, will be working with Jacky Connelly of Mrs. Jacky’s Soldiers to pack the care packages on May 2.

“Basically, I’ve been working several years with Mrs. Jacky packing boxes for the military,” Martin said. “Mrs. Jacky got a letter from a solider who returned home and said the soldiers always looked forward to each box they received.”

Martin, 17, who belongs to Troop 668 at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Worth, is looking for such items as personal care items, lip balm, sunscreen (small travel-size bottles), drink mix packets, power bars Easy Mac, Cups o’ Noodles, Ramen, etc. (A complete list of items is included at the end of this story.)

A letter to Mrs. Jacky from a grateful soldier.

To earn the Eagle rank, a scout needs to earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, show Scout Sprit and demonstrate leadership within their troop, crew or ship. Martin has earned 41 merit badges – 21 of which are required for the Eagle rank. He needs three more specific badges for his Eagle.
The goal of achieving the Eagle rank is to build a scout’s confidence and self-esteem, networking and community involvement.

Martin has risen through the ranks of scouting from Cub Scout to Explorer. He currently holds the rank of Life Scout, the last step reaching the highest echelons of scouting – the Eagle.
“The older I got, the more I was looking forward to earning the my Eagle,” Martin told Patch. “Every rank up, I gained more and more interest.”

Martin attends Oak Lawn Community High School where he is in the National Honor Society. He’s looking forward to the accomplishment of getting his Eagle and “having less worry about the getting the requirements done.” He’s looking to major in graphic design.

Moved by her mother’s care packages to her father during World War II which kept up his morale, Jacky Connelly started “Mrs. Jacky’s Soldiers” more than 20 years ago. Mrs. Jacky and her core volunteers pack care packages and send them to active military serving overseas. Soldiers have told Mrs. Jacky that getting each care box is like getting a little piece of home.

Donated items can be dropped off at one of the six locations below:

• St. Mark Lutheran Church, 11007 S. 76th Ave., Worth
• Kraft Fitness, 5427 W, 127th St, Worth
• Worth Village Hall, 7112 W. 111th St., Worth
• Worth Library, 6917 W. 111th St., Worth
• Worth Park District, 11500 S. Beloit Ave., Worth
• Oak Lawn Library, 9427 S. Raymond Ave.
• Oak Lawn Community High School, 9400 Southwest Highway
• American Legion Marrs-Meyer Post 11001 S. Depot Ave., Worth

You can also supply the care boxes by purchasing off the Will Martin Eagle Scout Wishlist on Amazon. Martin, some fellow scouts, and volunteers from Mrs. Jacky’s, will be packing up the boxes on May 2. For more information, email willmartineagleproject@gmail.com