WLU freshman Brooke Dorsey has a HUGE sweet tooth. But her addiction isn’t for herself, it’s for United States servicemen and women, away from home during the Easter season.
“I collect and send jelly beans in time for Easter to troops from the area who are stationed abroad. I’ve done it since I was in sixth grade at McGuffey High School,” explained Dorsey, who is from West Alexander, Pa.
Her parents, Susanne and Scott Dorsey, own a farm in the rural community that is part of Donegal Township.
Dorsey is a business marketing and management major at WLU. She also is a member of the Future Farmers of America Club (FFA) and 4-H. She likes photography and singing and she took part in the recent student government WLU Idol competition, coming in fourth.
The Claysville American Legion assists Dorsey in her jelly bean efforts by providing her with names of area troops serving overseas. Most of the soldiers send back letters of thanks and a few have visited or contacted her by phone.
“The soldiers are always grateful and I’ve learned that sometimes, soldiers even use the beans as gifts to the local people in the country where they are serving. It helps them to win friends and do their job,” she explained.
The saddest year was when Army Ranger Nathan Kennedy of Claysville, Pa. was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. Kennedy’s sister is an alumna of WLU and he was one of Dorsey’s first soldier recipients of the jelly beans. It was hard to learn that he died and didn’t need jelly beans anymore.
“I was in seventh grade when Nathan died. The box was delivered to him but he died two days later. He knew my family, so his family called me and said he was excited to get the box but he died before he could send out his thank you letter,” she said. “At least I was happy that he received the box before it happened to him.”
Her highest total of jelly beans collected was during her second year of the collection, when she gathered up 600 pounds of the sweet treats to mail overseas.
“I average around 30 big boxes a year, containing about 35 individual bags of jelly beans. I’ve shipped them to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Japan. This year it has surprised me though and grown, so I’m thinking that this year will be one of the biggest that I’ve ever had,” she said. Many stores in her neighborhood are matching donations by individuals.
Today is her last day to collect, and then she’ll spend a few days packing and mailing the goodies. The boxes take a week or so to arrive in the soldier’s hands.
“It’s a big job that takes about five weeks total to complete but it’s worth it. I’m grateful to all the donors who have shared with our soldiers over the years. I plan on continuing my jelly bean drive as long as I’m able,” she said.