The American Polish Forum (APForum) in Washington, D.C. launched an initiative to send Christmas care packages to Polish troops in Afghanistan.

"There is a tradition in America of sending care packages to soldiers stationed in war countries. For the past eight years, Polish troops have been supporting U.S. forces in Afghanistan and never has such an initiative been organized for them. We decided to take care of it," says Paula Louise Olearnik, events and outreach director at the APForum, a non-profit organization made up of Polis-American young professionals in Washington D.C.

"Through the initiative, we want to demonstrate our solidarity with Polish soldiers and express our gratitude for what they do. Another aim is to remind the American nation that Polish troops are there and that Poland is an important American ally," she said.

There are currently over 2,000 Polish troops stationed in the Ghazni Province in Afghanistan, including air-support units and special force units. "Poland was one of the first nations to support the United States in the Afghanistan and has been one of the most faithful allies in the war against terrorism since 9/11," Olearnik adds.

The packages will contain: personal care products; Oplatek (a Polish Christmas wafer); toys to distribute among Afghan children; Polish sweets donated by stores in Chicago; as well as Christmas cards. APForum has also collected 700 drawings made by students attending Polish-language schools in America.

"These are small gifts, but we want each Polish soldier to receive a package," Olearnik says. "We have talked to a couple of soldiers who returned from Afghanistan and Iraq, who told us that knowing that people remember them makes the men on the front lines most happy; they also commented on how the Polish soldiers envied the packages with cards, letters and Christmas wishes received by American troops."

Adopt a Polish Soldier for Christmas initiative, launched two months ago, can be supported by contributing $25 and a card for a soldier. So far, APForum has collected about half the funds needed to send all 2,000 packages. The donors are mostly American Poles; however a couple of American corporations have also joined in the effort.

The personal care packages will be prepared on December 19 at an APForum Christmas gathering for volunteers and guests. The U.S. Army will assist with the shipment of the packages so that they can get into the soldiers' hands before Christmas.

For more details, please visit: www.americanpolishforum.org.