Shipping Stuffed Stockings to Afghanistan

Ellen Ahlness, 16, wanted to do something for her father for Christmas.

But when your dad is Col. Eric Ahlness, the commander of a 60-member Agribusiness Development Team deployed in Afghanistan, small gestures tend to grow into large ones.

Ellen—who has funded her Norwegian-immersion summer camp by selling “katt hatts” she makes herself—decided to sew Christmas stockings for her father and a couple dozen members of his unit.

Ellen’s mother, Lori, called the unit’s first sergeant, Ken Bauer, to tell him about her daughter’s initiative.

“He said ‘That would be wonderful, but we want everyone to work together as a team, so would you please make 60 of them,’” Lori Ahlness said.

At that point Lori was committed to putting together the unit’s Christmas care packages. She helped her daughter sew the rest of the stockings and put out a press release asking for supplies to help fill them.

Supplies came in from across the Twin Cities.

Alisa Rabin Bell, the executive director of the Woodbury Community Foundation, organized a donation box at that has filled with food, coffee, socks, toothbrushes, and shampoo.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Bell said. “It’s something simple that we can help market to the community.”

On Sunday, Lori Ahlness is inviting 11 community members to her home to help package and mail the stockings.

“We’re going to fill them up with the personal items first and then put the candy on top,” she said.

While she said she has already received enough supplies for the Christmas packages, she is planning on sending out Valentine’s Day packages in 2012.

Woodbury residents interested in donating items should stop by Bremer Bank at 10040 City Walk Drive or call Bell at  651-788-6586.