Township family gives back

Wounded Warriors receive the efforts of the Shirrells

Dana Shirrell and her family say they are simply very thankful for the service of the men and women in our military.

The Shirrells, however, have gone far beyond most of us in their effort to express their gratitude for that service. For the third year in a row, the family has organized a community collection drive to benefit wounded warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

“The visit was such a blessing,” said Dana, who is a grants accountant in the business office of the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township’s Education Center.

MSD Wayne provided Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center as one of three locations for community members to drop off items for the wounded soldiers on Friday, June 13. The other drop-off locations were Brownsburg High School and the American Legion Headquarters in downtown Indianapolis.

“We were able to fill a cargo van and a small SUV full of household supplies, snacks and comfort items,” Dana said. Dana and her family drove the supplies to Walter Reed, delivering them on Monday, June 16.

“A wounded warrior said it felt like Christmas in the middle of summer,” said Dana. “The handshakes and smiles were more than enough to fill our hearts with joy.”

This was the third trip to Walter Reed for the family, which hopes to make the collection drive an annual event.