While a pack of peanuts or a tube of toothpaste may not seem like much to most people, for a soldier protecting the country overseas, a few common items from the mainland can serve as huge morale boost.

Last week, a group of volunteers with the Blue Star Mothers Chapter 193 worked together to send care packages to a few servicemen and women, who will undoubtedly appreciate the gesture.

The organization, based out of Buchanan, shipped 18 “goodie” boxes to nine people serving in the armed forces last Thursday. The boxes contained personal hygiene products such as toothpaste, Chap Stick and hand sanitizer, as well as snacks such as peanuts, popcorn and hot chocolate.

Volunteers spent about three hours getting the boxes packed Thursday, before several members took them home fill out the necessary paperwork to get the packages shipped to them via APO Box, a service that works with the postal service and military mail system to deliver civilian packages to troops. The members then took the boxes to the Niles Post Office to have them shipped off.

“It was a good day’s work,” said Phyllis Davis, treasurer of the local Blue Star Mothers chapter.

Several organizations, including two area churches and the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, pitched in to help with the care packages by donating goods, Davis said. The Blue Star Mothers chapter paid for the shipment cost, which was $17 per box.

This was the first time the chapter — established two years ago by Davis and club president Tammy Sebasty — has sent care packages to servicemen and women, Davis said.

“We wanted to let these young men and women know we are thinking of them,” she said. “We want them to know there are people back home who care about what they doing for our country.”

Davis said the chapter plans to continue to pack and ship care packages in the future. The members want to send the next shipment in October.

Davis and Sebasty, both of whom have sons currently serving in the military, founded Chapter 193 in order to give Blue Star Mothers, a national organization comprised of women with a son or daughter in the military, a footprint locally, Davis said. Besides creating care packages, the group hosts bake sales, helps with the weekly bingo games at the Woodland Terrace retirement home in Niles and participates in parades.

“Our young men and women give up years of their lives for us,” Davis said, about why she volunteers her time for Blue Star Mothers. “The least we can do is keep them in our minds, to let them know we are behind them.”

People interested in joining or assisting the organization are asked to contact Davis at (269) 695-5275.