Exceptional People & Firms

From left to right: Michelle Moss, Stephanie Hoopaugh, Steve Ratchford, David Richardson, Sim Doughtie, Greg Dickerson, Timeka Weaver, Susan Roe, and Melinda Wicker [LaTinza Shelton - she appears to have been cropped]

A look into King Industrial's conference room on a recent day might lead one to think the company has a snack addiction problem, but, actually, team King was preparing for its monthly shipment of care packages for members of the U.S. Army's 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Division, the Polar Bears stationed in the Iraq desert.Boxes of candy, gum, chips, dry soup, beef jerky, wet wipes and hand sanitizer, as well as cards, baseballs, Frisbees, paper-back books and magazines were distributed among the packages, as were homemade brownies and Rice Krispie treats, wrapped in white bread so the prized goodies retain moisture.The project began in December when King Industrial's Melinda Wicker contacted Polar Bear battalion commander Lt. Col. Rich Greene through Wicker's brother, General John W. Miller. Each month, King sends the packages to Greene, who distributes the goods among the 700 troops in his command. Of course, Wicker says the effort welcomes anyone who wants to participate, whether helping fund the care packages and postage or supplying items for the packages.