Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (43)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

ADVERTISEMENT

Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

About 40 volunteers were packed into a portion of the National Guard Armory gymnasium Friday afternoon while they prepared gift boxes as part of this year's Holiday Cheer Drive for troops.

Over 1,200 of the boxes were packed with razors, playing cards, DVDs, candy, beef jerky and other gifts for Lodi soldiers and their units while serving overseas during the holidays.

"For the size of this community I can't believe the amount of stuff we've had donated." said Lodi volunteer Marcia Dempsey.

Dempsey said that over $12,000 was raised from several local fundraisers throughout Lodi, including an American Legion dinner in August, a Wal-Mart donation booth and a fundraiser on Veterans Day.

The money raised went mostly to shipping costs, and what was left over was used to buy more supplies to fill the gift boxes.

The volunteers usually pack from 10 a.m. until the boxes are filled, sealed and ready to ship.

Contact Chief Photographer Brian Feulner at brianf@lodinews.com.

Nora Thompson, left, pulls razors out of a box to send to troops in care packages as part of the Holiday Cheer Drive on Friday at the National Guard Armory in Lodi. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

---

---

Keith Farr grabs boxes from a pile of more than 1,200 to be packed with gifts for Lodi troops and their units as part of the Holiday Cheer Drive on Friday at the Lodi National Guard Armory. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)