110th Transportation Company Soldiers help lead Salvation Army food drive

By Capt. Christopher J. YeazelNovember 23, 2011

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FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Soldiers of 110th Transportation Company, 10th Sustainment Bri-gade, delivered more than 300 pounds of canned food, boxed cereal and other food to Watertown's Salvation Army Community Center on Nov. 16, the culmination of a Thanksgiving food drive the unit undertook to reach out to members of the North Country community.

Salvation Army Capt. Evelyn Hopping, commanding officer of the community center, explained the mission of the center and its staff.

"First of all, we are a church, but we do a lot with social services," Hopping said. "We run a soup kit-chen six days a week, and we do a Thanksgiving dinner. … We do Christmas baskets as well as toy delivery, so every family has food to eat as well as toys under the tree."

Hopping also took time to personally thank each Soldier who assisted with the delivery and ex- plain how their contributions would be put to use.

"The cans will be of great use for making Thanksgiving dinner, as well as for Christmas," Hopping said. "We appreciate everything you (have done) for the community."

Staff Sgt. Diya Shakhoor, company motor sergeant, has reached out to the less fortunate his entire life. He undertook the food drive effort on his own initiative.

Shakhoor explained his desire to help those in need by saying, "I like to give back to the community, and I thought it would be good to start a food drive in the 110th Transportation Company."

"I hope that (the community can) benefit," he added, "and I hope that we have more things like this that we can do for the community."

Spec. Conrad Stewart, a wheeled vehicle operator with 110th Transportation Company, seconded Shakhoor's sentiments by saying, "We were more than happy to chip in and help out those that are less fortunate."

Shakhoor has led similar efforts for years.

"I've done coat drives (and) worked in soup kitchens, just to show the community that there are people that care about the less fortunate. The most rewarding things have been coat drives and food drives, giving people things that they need. Not things they want, but things they need."

When asked if he would continue to give back to those in need in the future, he proudly replied with his company's motivational motto: "Ride or Die!"