It will be Christmas in July for several hundred U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan when they open special care packages from Boy Scout Troop 389, sponsored by Atlantic Christian School in Egg Harbor Township.

Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Troop 389 and their parents spent the evening of June 12 packing 250 large boxes with Boy Scout caramel popcorn and other comfort food and toiletry items obtained over the past four months through donations. The donated items included Herr’s potato chips and pretzels, powdered Gatorade, Clif bars, beef jerky, Ramen noodles, handiwipes, foot powder, Q-tips, and sporting and hunting magazines. The boxes also contained letters and messages from the scouts and Atlantic Christian School.

“We hope to make a lot of troops very happy with these gift boxes,” said Scoutmaster Peter Karabashian. “We know that when a soldier receives one of these care packages it’s like Christmas for them.”  Karabashian said this is the seventh year that Troop 389 has carried out its Christmas for the Troops service project, overall sending some 1,200 gift boxes overseas.

Donations were received from a variety of individuals and businesses including members of Beacon Evangelical Free Church in Galloway, Marcacci Meats in Ventnor, the Jewish War Veterans Post 39 of Margate, the Greater Absecon Island Memorial VFW Post 215, the Jersey Shore Friends of the NRA, and U-Line Container Company.  Members of the Yellow Ribbon Club of Cherry Hill will be shipping the packages to Afghanistan.