Wildcats make holidays bright for deployed soldiers

LEXINGTON, S.C. — Lexington High School students and staff brought a little extra cheer to the holiday season by showing support for their own.

LHS’s Students in Action, School Council, Lexington One Community Coalition and Key Club teamed up to send care packages to the deployed family members of LHS students and staff by issuing a schoolwide challenge. First-block classes competed to see who could complete the list of requested items before the others.

During the month of November, LHS collected 64 boxes of baby wipes, 74 tubes of toothpaste, 87 toothbrushes, 70 bottles of lotion, 105 tubes of Chapstick, 113 boxes of dental floss, 91 bottles of mouthwash, 161 packs of tissues, 161 packs of hand warmers, 61 packs of Q-tips, 112 packs of gum, 259 packs of cookies, 343 protein bars, 85 boxes of Cheez-It crackers, 74 bags of beef jerky, 75 boxes of flavored water packets, 59 bags of cough drops and 332 packs of crackers. Students and staff also donated $850.42 to pay for shipping costs.

Care package organizers from LHS filled eight large boxes with donations. Deployed family members of Students Bailee A. Bishop, Kayleigh H. Russ, and Charles A. and Philip J. Zuebert will receive the boxes to share with their units.

In addition, LHS family members serving overseas will receive a special item from the Lexington Wildcat Booster Club — LHS fleece blankets.