Group collecting donations for troops

An auxiliary of the Air Force based at the Chicago Executive Airport is attempting to collect gifts from the community to send to overseas troops.

The Palwaukee Composite Squadron will be accepting contributions for Operation Thank-You through Sept. 1.

"The airport itself seems to have developed some interest," said 2nd Lt. Marc Stanley, the public information officer for the group.

A number of items are on a wish list, including toiletries, nonperishable food, books, DVDs, CDs and stuffed animals. The group is also accepting letters of support.

The organization is a nonprofit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. It performs search and rescue missions, and volunteers also perform disaster relief, among other tasks.

"We help with looking for lost people and looking for lost aircraft," Stanley said. "We do a little bit of disaster assessment."

Contributions can be dropped off at Chicago Executive Airport, 1020 S. Plant Road, Wheeling, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; at Signature Flight Support, 1100 Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, at any time of the day; or at the squadron's facility at 64 E. Hintz Road, Wheeling, between 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Monetary donations to offset shipping costs can be made out to 'Civil Air Patrol' with 'Operation Thank-You' in the memo line.

For more information, visit pwk.group22.net.