Aurora sending gifts to local military personnel

The city of Aurora would like the names of Aurora-native military personnel for its annual "Gifts to the Servicemen" project.

Residents are encouraged to call the Mayor's Office of Special Events by Nov. 13 to submit names of service men and women stationed in domestic and overseas locations.

Once the city has the names, it will send out boxes of mixed nuts to each service member just in time for the holidays.

"We try to do something special for our service men and women from Aurora," said Sanura Young, events coordinator for the city of Aurora, adding that each year 40 to 50 boxes are sent out.

"It is paid for by the city of Aurora, and we send them all over the world. It is so nice to be able to do something small to let them know that they are in our thoughts."

One Aurora resident who will receive a box this year is Joseph Finn, a Marine Corps sergeant stationed in Doha, Qatar, near Saudi Arabia.

Finn's mother, Aurora resident Debbie Tilley, is excited for her son to receive a gift from home.

"When I heard about this program, I thought it was just awesome," she said. "I really appreciate that the city is doing that for our military men and women."

Finn, who has been stationed in Singapore and Iraq, was deployed to Doha in March and will finish his service there in March 2010. After that, he hopes to be transferred to Europe. His military service is scheduled to end in March 2011.

Tilley hopes the gift from Aurora will lift Finn's spirits around the holidays.

"During the holidays when you are not with family, it is so nice to have that extra thank you. That will mean a lot to them," she said, adding that she isn't going to tell Finn about the gift. "I'm going to let him be surprised. He's going to be tickled."

To submit a name, call 630-844-4731.