Elgin homefront hero rallies troops

Norval Nelson doesn't give up.

Last year when he wanted to put together a support group for U.S. troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, he looked for other volunteers and called a meeting.

No one came.

He called another meeting and he was the only one who attended.

"I said 'Hell, I'm going through with this.'"

All he wanted to do was form a group that puts together and sends care packages to the troops.

"Gum, candy, cookies, beef jerky and soups," Nelson said. "No pork, no girly books nor beer."

After a few more lonely meetings he enlisted the help of Desiree Merza, the activities director of Willow Lake Estates Retirement Community in Elgin. She passed the word around, and eventually five people joined the group.

They scrounged around for donations and started sending the packages to the troops they'd never met. Their work was done out of the limelight -- except for last month, when Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn lauded the group, and 22 others doing similar activities, for being "Homefront Heroes."

They make the lives of the troops and their families easier, not only during the holidays but over the entire year.

Nelson remembers how much it means to be a war-time soldier and get a package from home.

He served in the Navy during World War II and was among the first wave of U.S. soldiers to hit the beach at Normandy. Do the math; you'll realize Nelson is nearly 90 years old.

"Getting a box from home was a big thing," he said. "Since we've started, we've sent about 100 packages. People give us the names and addresses of the soldiers, and we do the rest."

Group members meet every Monday to discuss the latest donations and names they have received.

"In some of the packages we include white socks, deodorant, skull caps, crossword puzzles and toothbrushes," Merza said.

"Norval is a retired carpenter and he's been known to make something small for people who donate items."

Members are always looking for items to send and stores to donate. They are also looking for other people who show the same attention to fighting servicemen and servicewomen.

They won't have to look too far. Three miles north of their retirement community, an East Dundee couple, Diane and Roger Ahrens, has been sending our troops cookies from their business, Piece-A-Cake Bakery, for three years. They, too, get names from people who want to show loved ones they are remembered.

The Ahrenses did not receive the lieutenant governor's award this year, but they don't need to, they said.

Being Marine veterans, they, too, know the importance of receiving packages from home. Since the couple started Operation Sweet Tooth, they've sent thousands of dozens of cookies to Afghanistan and Iraq.

"I'd like to talk to them and tell them what a good job they've been doing," Nelson said.

Other Illinois groups that received the Homefront Hero Award this year include:

• Volunteers at the Light of Christ Lutheran Church in Algonquin for sending dozens of cookies to troops throughout the world.

• Dr. Hitesh Patel, a Naperville dentist, who bought unopened packages of Halloween candy from his patients and sent the treats to troops overseas.

• Naperville Unit School District 203 employees, for collecting Beanie Babies for troops to give to children in Iraq.

• And the community of Glendale Heights, for collecting and sending thousands of holiday greeting cards to troops in Europe and the Middle East.

For more information about Nelson's group, call Merza at (847) 742-3625.