Locals encouraged to donate to backpacks for Afgan students

Ashburnham Board of Selectmen Chairman Mark Carlisle is encouraging people to help out a collection drive for Operation BACPAC, which was inspired by a solider with local connections that is serving in Afghanistan.

The solider, whose name cannot be used, says he is witnessing firsthand the efforts of the Afghan people to restore some level of education for their children after many years of Taliban repression and generations of war.

The mission of Operation BACPAC is to provide basic school supplies for children in the remote province of Farah.

The goal is to send 5,000 backpacks containing pencils, pens, rulers, erasers, notebooks, crayons, calculators, etc. to Afghan children that are attending school for the first time.

Each backpack will also include a personalized note from an American child.

The need is to raise money to not only help stuff the bags but also to ship these messages of American goodwill by February 1, 2008, according to the organizer Ann Paicos.

"We know that education is the only lasting way to combat the poverty and despair that breed unrest and terrorism," she said. "Help us make a difference."

Those that are interested can send their tax-deductible donation to: F.O.R.E. - Operation "BACPAC," c/o North Easton Savings Bank, P.O. Box 299, North Easton, MA 02356.

For additional information, please contact Ann Paicos at (508) 230-2850 or apaicos@ comcast.net