Gardendale First Baptist Church will observe Veterans Day by helping put needed items into the hands of men and women who are currently serving overseas.

Church members have collected items and on Friday sorted, organized and packed them into 100 boxes.

The church will host a program called Day of Honor Wednesday at 6:15 p.m., during which people can pick up one of the boxes and mail it to the soldier. The volunteers who pick up the boxes will pay the postage for them. Address labels are on the boxes.

Phil Cronin, who heads up GFBC’s community outreach and new members ministry, said he contacted various sources to see what the soldiers needed the most.

The boxes include items like socks, foot powder, Chapstick, and food items like candy, beef jerky, Pop Tarts and granola bars.

Thirty of the boxes will go to people who requested their friends or family members receive them, while 70 will go to members of a local military unit that recently left for Afghanistan.

“The boxes will be on the altar and people can just pick them up and ship them,” Cronin said.

Wednesday’s Day of Honor service will include music and Gardendale Mayor Othell Phillips as speaker.