EATON —Blue Star Mothers are collecting filled Easter eggs and Easter candy to brighten Hero Boxes being sent to deployed soldiers.

Blue Star Mothers of America is a non profit 501c3 charity made up of mothers of children just starting out in their military careers, who have been in for several years and facing a deployment, or have become a veteran. Blue Star Mothers not only provide support to troops in the form of a care packages and letters, but also support to veterans for anything he or she might need help with.

“We provide a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, a hug when needed to moms who are having a hard time dealing with this new world our children have thrust us into,” BSM organizers said in a press release. “Why do we do what we do? Because it is simple — we want people to remember that some of our kids are out there and they are fighting for our freedoms.”

Anyone who is a military mom who wants to join a group “full of caring and understanding moms who know what you are going through,” are invited to come check out the local chapter, the last Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at L&M Products at 1407 N Barron Street, Eaton. The chapter has members from Preble, Darke, and Butler County in Ohio and Wayne County in Indiana. The members “promise you will have fun.”

“It is Easter again and this year we are collecting filled Easter eggs (please tape them closed) and Easter candy to put in our Hero Boxes,” the press release noted. “We are making 30 boxes this time and are in need of lots of candy, and personal items such as hand sanitizer, deodorant, foot powder, hotel size shampoos, conditioners, lotions and soap. We are also in need of pop-top individual food items, crackers, cookies, meat sticks, individual drink mixes, etc. We are also in need of at least 120 Easter pictures and cards made by local school kids to send in the boxes to add a little of home.”

The group will be packing Tuesday, March 28, at 7 p.m., for anyone wishing help out.