CPI student holds collection drive for homeless veterans

A Horticulture and Landscaping program student at CPI is making it her mission to carry on the season of giving long after the holidays.  Charlee Marshall, a high school senior from the Bald Eagle Area School District, has taken it upon herself to start a communitywide collection for homeless veterans. “I’ve been wanting to do it for a while, so I thought I’d start now,” Marshall said. “It’s after Christmas so the season of giving isn’t there anymore, but a little extra help is always needed. I have a lot of veterans in my family and just see commercials on TV about people who are homeless and need a lot of help, and I figured veterans can often be left out. We always think about those in active duty, but I think the homeless and the ones who have retired need to be thought about.” She’s collecting lap blankets; shaving cream and kits; shampoo, body wash and other personal hygiene items; socks and underwear; backpacks or duffel bags; zip-up sweatshirts; reusable water bottles; and more. All donations, Marshall said, will be distributed to the Centre County Veterans’ Affairs Office in Bellefonte that will later go to a rehabilitation home and veterans’ hospital.