photo by Jessica St. James

Helen Galligan with the Proctorville Women’s Club is scene with seniors Caleb Inboden, Aija Anderson, Kayla White and Adrienne Goodwin from Fairland High School. Students from the school took the time to collect various items for Boatsie’s Boxes a charitable organization dedicated to supporting our troops far from home.

Looking like Christmas

Woman’s club, Fairland team up for soldiers

By Benita Heath | The Tribune

Published Tuesday, October 13, 2009

PROCTORVILLE — Three years ago Gail VanVranken, aka “Boatsie,” spoke to the Ohio state convention of woman’s clubs about her campaign to bring needed everyday supplies like toothpaste, Kleenex, instant food items to soldiers serving overseas.

“We were very, very impressed,” Helen Galligan, president of the Proctorville Woman’s Club, recalled.

That started an annual Christmas campaign by the club to collect as many items as possible to send out to what VanVranken had christened “Boatsie Boats.”

But it is a campaign that has gotten the four schools at Fairland involved as well.

“We are only 40 women. What kind of difference can we make,” Galligan said.

However by teaming up with students in the Fairland district, the club can stuff 200 stockings plus additional boxes to send to Boatsie Boats. It will take the women about three days to get all the items processed.

“You see the pictures of the soldiers and how happy they are to get these things,” Galligan said. “They are overseas and a lot won’t get home for Christmas. It is so nice to know you are being thought of. And we couldn’t do what we do without the support of Fairland schools.”

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