Judy Wallace raised $775 in seven hours at a recent bake sale held to send 75 care packages for active duty service personnel overseas during the Christmas season.

The funds are one-third of the way to her total goal.

She is now collecting beanie babies to send to troops to give out to local children.

“I just found out it is the most widely wanted item to hand out to the kids,” she said.

There are donation drop off boxes at Island Hardware and the Community, Episcopal, and Catholic churches and at the bake sale. Suggested items include personal hygiene items from chapstick to bug repellant, beef jerky, granola and breakfast bars, hard candy, nuts, gum, instant coffee, cocoa mixes, water flavoring packets, pens, paper, envelopes, AA batteries, phone cards, magazines, small hand-held video games, small toys or stuffed toys or school supplies to give to area children or teachers.