The Gator Nation sends the Gator spirit to American soldiers serving abroad

May 5, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gator Nation Campaign and Alpha PRoductions, a University of Florida student-run public relations firm, recently sent American servicemen and servicewomen well-deserved Gator spirit as part of the Gator Troops program.

The Gator Troops program, a partnership between The Gator Nation Campaign and several Alachua County and Jacksonville schools, was launched in January 2009. The campaign worked with six Alachua County elementary schools and three Jacksonville elementary schools to generate more than 2,500 student-written letters and drawings of gratitude for American soldiers.

Participating Alachua County elementary schools included Newberry Elementary School, Myra Terwilliger Elementary School, Alachua Elementary School, Joseph Williams Elementary School, Glen Springs Elementary School and Charles W. Duval Elementary School. Jacksonville schools included Blessed Trinity Catholic School, St. Matthew Catholic School, and St. Paul’s Catholic Grade School and Kindergarten.

The campaign also consisted of a week-long drive collecting donated items for soldiers. UF student organizations, such as the University of Florida College of Dentistry, donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, overnight bags and other toiletries.

The donated items and letters were sent to Soldiers’ Angels, a non-profit support organization for the U.S. Armed Forces. Items will be sent to soldiers serving abroad. Visit http://www.soldiersangels.org for more information.

For more information about The Gator Nation Campaign or to upload a personal story about when you became a Gator, visit http://insidethegatornation.com.