YMCA taking donations for troops

Peterson Elementary School plans to host a stocking stuffing event Thursday to help send a piece of home to the U.S. Armed Forces serving overseas, according to a release issued by the YMCA of Orange County.

The YMCA partnered with Words of Comfort, Hope and Promise — an organization that serves those in the military and their families — Cub Scout Pack 290 and Starbucks stores in Huntington Beach to collect donations for the troops.

YMCA Child Care sites in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa are collecting the donations through Thursday, the release said.

The organizations are asking for candy canes, assorted Christmas hard candies, peanut butter or cheese-and-crackers snack packs, Easy Mac, gum, trail mix and dried fruits in individual snack packs, among others.

—Mona Shadia

Twitter: @MonaShadia