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trooptrax article

The Trooptrax article in today's Telegram, in case you are interested.

Thank you, Carol!

CDs soften the drumbeat of war
Web site offers music for soldiers in Iraq

Donna Boynton
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

MILLBURY- Carol Milite joined Adopt-A-Platoon to support the troops overseas, sending them care packages of Valentine's Day cookies, St. Patrick's Day greetings, letters and pictures drawn by her twin 5-year-old sons, Jeremy and Jordan.

While the care packages were appreciated, there was something missing: music. Soon, troops stationed at military bases in the Kuwait desert may be grooving to tunes from home, thanks to Mrs. Milite and her friend, Michele Catalano of Long Island, N.Y.

The two have founded Operation TroopTrax to send music to soldiers taking part in "Operation Iraqi Freedom.' Through their Web site, www.trooptrax.com, the two are collecting new or used compact discs, or donations to purchase them. Mrs. Milite and Ms. Catalano only launched their Web site a few weeks ago and already have collected more than $2,000. Various bands have sent cases of compact discs to the women, Mrs. Milite said.

"It's nice to do something for them, however you feel about it,' Mrs. Milite said from her Millbury home.

"We wish them well,' Mrs. Milite added. "We want to let them know that we are thinking about them and about the job that they are doing. Be safe.'

Mrs. Milite and Ms. Catalano met a year ago through a separate Web site operated by Ms. Catalano, and the two were thinking of things to send to the troops abroad.

Through the TroopTrax Web site, people also have been sending the names and addresses of specific soldiers. Packages have to be sent to specific soldiers, as military regulations prohibit the sending of packages to random soldiers, Mrs. Milite said. The packages will include CDs, magazines, snacks, letters of support and other personal items, which soldiers have promised to share, Mrs. Milite said. Donations can be made on the Internet through PayPal.com and Amazon.com to purchase used CDs for the troops. While the music collected spans all genres, some soldiers have written to them directly through the TroopTrax Web site requesting heavy metal bands.

The first round of care packages is scheduled to be sent next week, as Mrs. Milite continues to fill out customs information forms.

TroopTrax has attracted the attention of media outlets along the East Coast. Mrs. Milite has been interviewed by a talk radio station in Florida, and the Web site was mentioned in a recent Washington Post article.

Information on how to make a donation can be found on the TroopTrax Web site. Locally, CDs can be dropped off at the Millbury Public Library.

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