It's time to spread some

The third annual “Comfort & Joy - Gifts for Veterans” program is officially underway at the Grand Junction Free Press. The program, in support of the VA Medical Center in Grand Junction, has been enormously successful in past years thanks to the generosity of the community.

“The Comfort & Joy program is so much fun for us,” said Free Press Publisher Valerie J. Smith. “We love seeing the lobby fill up with donations, and every item brought to our office is delivered to the VA Medical Center before Christmas and made available to veterans and their families.”

The program is fine-tuned a bit each year so the list of requested items matches the need of veterans. This year, the Free Press is accepting the following new items: Crossword/word search books (large print, please); movie passes; books-on-CD; phone cards (any denominations); models to build, such as airplanes; restaurant gift cards; postage stamps; cans of coffee, powdered creamer and sugar or artificial sweeteners for the patient care area at the medical center; sugarless candy; small stick deodorant for men or women; small tubes of toothpaste; soft toothbrushes; denture cleanser tablets; denture adhesive; two-sided denture brushes; twin razor blades and 5-inch stand size pocket combs.

Tax-deductible donations for support of the many programs sponsored for veterans at the VA Medical Center can be mailed to VA Medical Center (135), 2121 North Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81501.

For more information on the Comfort & Joy - Gifts for Veterans, contact Joni Karp at the Free Press at 243-2200, ext. 18119 or e-mail her a jkarp@gjfreepress.com.

Donations will be accepted at the Free Press Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at 145 N. Fourth St., through Friday, Dec. 11.