LOTS OF WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY

If you've been looking for ways to support our troops overseas with more than just verbal and moral support back home, here are a few suggestions:

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 40 is collecting personal items - including combs, toothbrushes, hand wipes, sunscreen, lip balm and hard candy - that will be sent to servicemen and -women.

The items can be mailed to the DAV or dropped off at its center between noon and 10 p.m. weekdays. The address is: 1115 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA 91601. For more information, call [phone].

This is just one good way to get involved because the U.S. Department of Defense has asked the general public to stop sending unsolicited letters and packages to military personnel in Iraq.

Instead, the Pentagon suggests making monetary donations to Operation USO Care Package by calling [phone] or logging on to www.usocares.org.

Locally, USO representative Mike Teilman suggests sending donations or prepaid calling cards to the Bob Hope USO, PO Box 1776, Hollywood, CA 90078.

The calling cards will be given to the troops coming through Los Angeles International Airport en route to duty stations.

``This month, we've had 2,300 soldiers come through the Bob Hope USO at LAX, and by far the most popular item was the calling card so they could stay in touch with their loved ones back home,'' Teilman said.

The Pentagon also suggests sending a ``Gifts from the Homefront'' certificate, which the troops can use at post exchanges, by calling [phone], or logging on to www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm.

The Department of Defense also has a war information Web site that explains how to e-mail or donate a prepaid calling card to soldiers. It's www.defendamerica.mil/support--troops.htmlLine is overdrawn .

The American Red Cross is not directly involved in sending care packages from the public to troops overseas, but it does have a telephone number - [phone] - that immediate family members can call if there is an emergency back home.

``We've patched through more than 1,000 emergency phone calls in the last six months, 200 of them this month alone,'' said Los Angeles area Red Cross spokeswoman Brenda Castillo.

Another way the Pentagon suggests people can show support for our troops is visiting patients and residents at local VA hospitals.

If you want to visit veterans housed at the Sepulveda VA and West Los Angeles VA, you must first call the local volunteer or public affairs office at each facility to make arrangements.

At the Sepulveda VA, the volunteer services number is [phone]. At West L.A. it's [phone]. The public affairs number for both facilities is [phone].

Also, on Saturday, members of the Mint Canyon Moose Lodge in Canyon Country are inviting the public to walk with them as they tie a mile's worth of yellow ribbons for our troops overseas.

``We're starting at the corner of Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway, and tying a yellow ribbon on every light post and tree,'' said lodge member Butch Labash. ``We're also issuing a challenge to all the service clubs and veterans organizations to do the same thing.''

For more information, call Butch at [phone].

And finally, on Saturday night, the United States Army San Fernando Recruiting Company's Family Readiness Group will host a spaghetti fund-raising dinner dance at American Legion Post 308, 7338 Canby Ave., Reseda.

The all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., will cost $15 and will include music and dancing until midnight. For more information, call Barbara Kobobel at [phone].

When I hear of other events being held to support our troops, or ways to show more than just moral and verbal support for them, I'll let you know.