By Liz Nolan, Contributing Writer
Northborough – There have been a lot of changes in the last month due to the COVID-19 crisis. One thing that doesn’t change is the giving and generous spirit of residents, especially during challenging times. The founders of Boros Cares 4 Troops (BC4T) are reaching out to the community for support of Northborough’s veterans.
Leslie Arsenault, Karen Brewster, Beth Davison and Michelle Gillespie are the founding members of BC4T. They are currently collecting donations, items and cards for over 300 veterans living in Northborough, who are over the age of 70 and are in the age group that is particularly vulnerable to the virus.
Care packages will contain food, personal care essentials and other miscellaneous items. Information on additional town resources or assistance available to them will also be included.
“The packages will be delivered to their home,” said Gillespie. “All safeguards will be taken including wiping down items and wearing gloves and masks.
There are three ways to assist the effort.
Make a monetary donation by logging on to www.BC4T.org and donate $25 or more to be used to purchase food and personal care items for the baskets. Donations can also be mailed to BC4T, P.O. Box 304, Northborough, MA 01532. Contact Karen Brewster at 774-258-0882 or email [email protected] with questions pertaining to monetary donations.
Shop for personal care items, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, tissues, hand soap and hand wipes. For your convenience, if you purchase any of these items at the CVS located at 24 West Main St. in Northborough and mention BC4T, the store will hold the items aside for the effort. For questions or more information on donating personal care products, call Michelle Gillespie at 508-934-9818 or email [email protected].
Gillespie said the challenge has been dealing with the supply chain and the availability of items needed. The goal is for each veteran to receive a care package over the course of the next few months.
Another way to contribute is to create a card to be included in the care packages. Cards thanking the veterans for their service or letting them know they are in your thoughts will help to brighten their day. The cards can be dropped off in the blue bin at the office of Michelle Gillespie Realtors at 10 Main St., Northborough (corner of Route 20 and Route 135). Cards can also be mailed to BC4T, P.O. Box 304, Northborough, MA 01532.
“Making cards is a great project for kids,” said Gillespie.
BC4T Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity. Updated information can be found on the BC4T Facebook page.
