The Hoquiam VFW will send 520 Christmas stockings with supplies to troops overseas this holiday season, as they help out the Harrison Family Mortuary with their annual effort to send stockings.

This is the 11th year the mortuary has sent stockings to troops, but the first time they asked others for help, according to the Hoquiam VFW Auxiliary’s assistant manager and bartender Gina Slusser.

In response, Slusser and the Hoquiam VFW challenged other VFW groups in Montesano, Westport and Ocean Shores to see who could donate the most stockings.

While the stockings do include candy canes, they are primarily stuffed with everyday supplies, everything from protein bars and canned tuna to hand warmers and travel-sized toiletries, Slusser said.

As part of this friendly competition with other VFW groups to donate, Slusser said Hoquiam’s VFW Post and Auxiliary each donated $250. In addition, Slusser and a couple others went to local businesses in Aberdeen and Hoquiam to ask for support, and raised a little less than $3,000, she said.

Slusser, who said her dad is a Vietnam War veteran, added that she felt compelled to work hard to donate as many stockings as she could since he has assisted veterans in the area who needed help.

“His words to me were always ‘You are my brother’s keeper,’ and that has always stuck with me,” said Slusser. “I felt it was my duty and obligation in honor of my dad to push this as far as I could.”