Project Gearbox Continues its Contributions

Project Gearbox, a fairly new group at Parkway North, is a group dedicated to the packaging of goods that will be sent off to those members of the frontlines who tirelessly work to protect the citizens of the United States.  Project Gearbox will hold meetings on Feb. 23, March 5, and March 12 in Mrs. Barger’s room.

This project, started by junior Jason Thompson, gets care packages to soldiers who are away from home.

“I started Project Gearbox after talking to one of the U.S. Army recruits, Sgt. Trent W. Norris.  He told me about how when he was in the front lines, it was very hard for him and others to receive care packages that were not already open.  Soldiers back at bases would pick and find all of the good stuff, then send whatever was left over to the ones on the front lines.  I felt so bad that I started this club to ensure that all soldiers on the front lines could receive fresh, full packages.  I did this by mailing the boxes to individual squads so it would not need to go through army bases,” said Thompson.

The group, despite its serious purpose, is very laid back.  The average Project Gearbox meeting consists of either packaging goods or brainstorming ways to get more people involved.

“Usually what we do on days when we have enough donated supplies like ramen, toothpaste, little packaged snacks, and shoeboxes to put the goods in, we put them together and then store them until they can be shipped.  Days that we don’t, we just brainstorm on ways to get donations through fundraisers, posters, and so on,” said junior Taylor Jay.

Thompson isn’t so much concerned with the group becoming mainstream, but rather with simply making people aware of the impact they can have on a soldier’s life and how important these types of groups are.

“It’s not so much about the group [growing, as it is] about making people aware that it means so much, in ways that are unimaginable, for a soldier […] to know that they have support and that people care about what they are doing.  Project Gearbox is just one of the many gateways that make sure soldiers can feel a piece of home,” said Thompson.

For more information on Project Gearbox, attend one of the upcoming meetings on Feb. 23, March 5, and March 12, or contact Barger or Thompson.

Written by Steven Chaffin, Jr.