The Student Alumni Association, Arkansas Alumni Association, Razorback Student Veterans and Veterans Resource & Information Center are uniting through the “Hogs to Heroes” program to send care packages to 30 soldiers from the Arkansas National Guard 1039th Engineer Company based out of Marked Tree and Harrisburg. The soldiers are currently serving in Afghanistan.

Care packages will be sent to the soldiers on behalf of University of Arkansas students, who will have an opportunity to provide items for the packages from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Connections Lounge at the Arkansas Union.

The  following are the most requested items from deployed soldiers: twin size bed sheets; large fluffy towels; handheld can openers; baby wipes; coffee; coffee creamer; nonperishable foods, especially tuna; pillows; extension cords; batteries; sunscreen; movies/DVDs; laundry detergent; toiletries, for example, body wash and razors.

Along with the care packages, students and UA administrators, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to give $1 to sign a Razorback flag, which will be sent to the soldiers’ unit. The money raised from signing the flag will be used for shipping the boxes and purchasing non-donated items.

For additional information, please contact Airic Hughes, assistant director, Arkansas Alumni Association, at axh003@uark.edu or Erika Gamboa, director, Veterans Research and Information Center, at egamboa@uark.edu.