Membership

Shirts for Soldiers: Mission accomplished

Over 500 shirts donated by NIRSA Members reach Iraq

(From left) Jarrett Yehlen, Facilities Manager and Paul Sobiech, Fitness Coordinator, organize donated T-shirts at the University of Minnesota.

Our efforts to send T-shirts to front-line U.S. soldiers in Iraq have been successful, reports Dan Allen, Senior Associate Director at the University of Minnesota Department of Recreational Sports. Over 500 shirts donated by many NIRSA Members and Institutions were recently flown to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and from there placed aboard a C-130 and sent to the Brigade Combat Team in Iraq.

Master Sergeant Rick Michelac, Commandant of Cadets at the University of Minnesota Army ROTC, who arranged the transportation of the shirts, said, "We have an outstanding appreciation for the efforts of your organization. This means a great deal to me personally. I'm very thankful for what you've done."

"Shirts for Soldiers" began in the summer of 2005 as a NIRSA-endorsed goodwill program developed by Ben McGuire from the Department of University Recreation at Louisiana State University. Ben had met several young soldiers returning from Iraq who described the extreme heat of the summer and how quickly they soaked through their shirts in 130-degree weather. "I thought of the wonderful tradition at the NIRSA Annual Conference, where so many members trade their school T-shirts or shorts. Each year it seems to get bigger and better. I thought we could extend the tradition to benefit these soldiers," Ben said.

After LSU had to move their attention to sheltering Hurricane Katrina victims, Jarrett Yehlen from the University of Minnesota was the first to answer NIRSA's call to "pick up the baton" from LSU. Jarrett and his group gathered, organized and packed the shirts for shipping.

Thanks to Ben for spearheading this effort; to the many others who offered to help coordinate; to everyone who donated T-shirts and other items; and to Jarrett and the University of Minnesota Department of Recreational Sports for completing the project.

"I hope our NIRSA colleagues can feel a bit gratified that this small gesture brought a little bit of home and lighter fare to some of our armed forces in a most difficult situation," said Dan Allen.