VOLUNTEERS WORK TO MAKE HOLIDAYS HAPPY FOR TROOPS.

Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- An army of Santa Clarita volunteers is making sure troops in Iraq and Afghanistan don't get too homesick over the holidays.

The Blue Star Mothers of Santa Clarita Valley and the group Prayer Angels for the Military each plan to mail thousands of packages this year.

Footballs, turkey jerky, greeting cards, Frisbees, socks, crackers and more will be stuffed into cardboard boxes bound for war zones.

Sending all those goods takes an almost assembly-line packing method, and countless volunteer hours. But the groups' members get something in return.

``We get some of the most wonderful thank-you letters,'' said Sharon Ventrice, executive officer of the Valencia-based Prayer Angels for the Military.

The Blue Star Mothers of Santa Clarita Valley sent more than 2,500 packages last year and expects to send the same number of packages this year.

Prayer Angels for the Military plans to send more than 2,000 packages.

Both groups have collection bins at various stores in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Tina Perez, vice president of Blue Star Mothers of Santa Clarita Valley, has a son who is expecting to be re-deployed to Iraq. Marine Staff Sgt. Jason Perez was sent to Iraq once before, and has served in Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia and in Desert Storm during his 15-year military career.

``It's always hard -- whether it's your first or your 12th deployment -- as a parent, as a family member, it's always hard,'' Perez said. ``It doesn't get any easier with the amount of times they go.''

Suzon Gerstel, co-founder of Prayer Angels for the Military, also has a son in the Marines, Sgt. William Dykstra. He has been to Iraq.

Gerstel has seen injured soldiers from her son's unit who are back in the United States in wheelchairs, wearing bandages or using crutches.

``It's very personal to us,'' she said.

For more information on how to volunteer with Blue Star Mothers of Santa Clarita Valley, call chapter President Sandy Baer at [phone]. For information on how to work with Prayer Angels for the Military, call Sharon Ventrice at [phone].

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Soldiers receive items from Prayer Angels for the Military. The Valencia-based group is collecting items to send to Iraq this holiday season. The community care packaging event will be Friday at the Santa Clarita Community Center in Newhall. The group also sends special packages to wounded soldiers who are hospitalized.