Tenth grader raises money for phone cards for troops

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 8:12 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Katie Scarvey

kscarvey@salisburypost.com

Liberty Cozart knows how important it is to be able to call home when you need to. When she was in sixth grade, she went to Space Camp in Alabama, and she remembers feeling homesick. Fortunately, her mother had given her a phone card so she could call home. She never forgot how that was a lifeline for her at the time.

And now, four years later, Liberty is hoping to use phone cards to make a difference in the lives of American soldiers serving overseas.

Liberty, a 10th grader at East Rowan High School, is a junior member of the American Legion Auxiliary unit 448 in Granite Quarry, the Livengood-Peeler-Wood unit. In April, in a statewide meeting in Mocksville, she was elected the Honorary Junior Department President of the American Legion Auxiliary for the Department of North Carolina.

One of the duties of her office is to initiate and support a statewide service project.

Although projects may focus on community needs, Liberty says, she decided that she wanted hers to support active duty veterans.

She's calling her project "Coins for Cards" in hopes that people will give their spare change — and more, if they so desire — to buy phone cards for U.S. troops, particularly local soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Liberty is approaching area businesses and churches for help with fundraising. This past Monday, she delivered a donation jar to Busby and Webb Orthodontics in Salisbury, which had agreed to help her raise money.

She's collected a loose offering at her church, Christiana Lutheran, and plans to approach other churches.

Liberty says there are soldiers who have a hard time affording to call home as much as they would like.

Her goal is to raise at least $2,500 dollars throughout the state during the next year. Every cent raised will go to the purchase of cards. The project will continue through April, but Liberty would like to purchase some cards soon to help soldiers during the holiday season. She's already raised $500.

During the year, Liberty will send newsletter updates and e-mails to other junior auxiliary groups around the state, giving them advice on how to go about fundraising. Donations to the Coins for Cards project may be made at any area F&M Bank. Checks should be made payable to ALA Coins for Cards. Donations are tax-deductible.

Liberty says she chose this project because she wanted to give something back to the brave men and women who are serving their country around the world. For more information about Coins for Cards, call 704-279-0483.