AUBURN – When fifth-grade Walton School student Jenny Rioux heard her classmate’s dad was being deployed to Iraq for 18 months plans were set in motion to start a schoolwide collection of items to send to servicemen and women who are relatives of Walton students.

Students, teachers, staff and the community wanted the students to know they care about them and their family, especially the loved ones who have been called to serve their country.

On Jan. 16 students and families started sending donations to the school. Items included baby wipes, beef jerky, tissues, playing cards, dried fruit, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mints, gum, pens, puzzle books, sunscreen, flea collars, lotions, shampoos and writing paper.

Hannaford of Spring Street partnered up with Walton School and a collection box is available at the store until Feb. 13 for public donations. Keiko’s Family Hair Care in Lewiston is also offering support. If anyone wishes to give a money donation to help with mailing costs, a check can be made payable to Walton PTO, c/o Colleen Rioux, Walton School, 92 Mary Carroll St., Auburn, ME 04210.

In addition, the student body will send a giant message to the Maine Army National Guard HSC, 133rd Engineer Battalion. The giant scroll will include each class and all the names of the students in the school as well as messages, poems, jokes, drawings, from the Walton students and staff. The public is welcome to visit the school and add their own messages.

For more information contact Colleen Rioux at 783-7494 after 5 p.m.; 783-2211, extension 1308, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; or e-mail [email protected].