CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Nine-year-olds Claire Nagase, Troy Macagnone and Molly Browning prepared brunch at the Waialae Elementary School cafeteria yesterday. The children and other volunteers were participating in "Operation Christmas 2004," a donation drive to send goodies -- like candy, cookies, crack seed, popcorn, cards and drawings -- to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan.

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Boxes of aloha
headed to troops

Waialae families will
send more than 80 care
packages to Afghanistan

For Rose, Violet and Barbara Alama, packing goodie boxes yesterday to send to soldiers in Afghanistan made them feel good -- but a little apprehensive, too.

To help out Operation Christmas 2004 will continue to accept donations of snacks or money for mailing at Waialae Elementary School through Friday. Checks can be made out to Friends of Waialae School. Organizer Jennifer Macagnone said if anyone has ideas on getting the postage costs for the boxes donated, leave a message for her at the school at 733-4880.

In February, their father and husband, 1st Sgt. Yale Alama, 43, who is training now in Fort Bliss, Texas, will be shipping out for a year in Iraq with the Hawaii National Guard's A Company, 29th Support Battalion.

Yesterday, the Alamas participated in "Operation Christmas 2004," a cooperative effort of the Friends of Waialae School and Waialae's Parent Community Networking Center and Learning Hui.

Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. yesterday in the school cafeteria, more than 80 boxes of candy, cookies, crack seed, popcorn and other munchables -- plus some toiletries, cards and drawings by Waialae Elementary students -- were packed, and more than $800 was collected for mailing expenses.

Violet Alama, 12, said she was impressed that many of the people who donated items for the soldiers don't have a loved one in the war zones. "It makes me happy that people would do this for strangers," said the Kaimuki Middle School student.

The results exceeded the expectations of project organizer Jennifer Macagnone, who has a son at the school. "I knew that Waialae families would be good in helping, but it was way more than I ever thought it would be," she said.

Said Principal Wendy Lagareta: "Everyone pitched in. I think the kids understand that the soldiers are away from their families and won't be there for Christmas. So they want to send them cheer and help them when they're so far away."

One letter, signed by a student named Jade, read: "Dear Soldiers, Do you miss America? Thank you for fighting. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and a Happy Thanksgiving."

Misha Woodward, an 8-year-old third-grader, said her drawing depicted "three girls swimming."

Rose Alama, a 10-year-old fifth-grader, said her drawing was of people surfing, "so it would remind them of home."

When the soldiers get the boxes, "I think they'll be surprised -- in a good way," said Natasha Staman, an 8-year-old third-grader who helped pack boxes yesterday. "I think they'll know we didn't forget them."

Macagnone's son Troy, a fourth-grader, figures that since the soldiers "have to eat the same things over and over," that they'll welcome treats of candy, popcorn and gum.

Troy helped yesterday loading boxes, drawing pictures and signing cards for the soldiers. Looking around the bustle of box-packing in the cafeteria, he said he was proud of his mother for organizing the effort.