Members of the United States armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have heard they will soon be receiving phone cards from southeast Arizona.

Several soldiers from the 82nd Airborne in Baghdad have been in touch with card drive organizer Renee Miles via e-mail and are looking forward to receiving their phone cards. Some soldiers have not spoken to their families for four months.

Businesses throughout the Gila Valley area are collecting phone cards as part of the Support the Troops theme of this year`s Safford Saturday Night Stampede rodeo, set for Aug. 16. The cards can be placed in designated barrels displayed in businesses in Graham County. These members of the 82nd Airborne on patrol in Iraq are among hundreds of U.S. soldiers who are awaiting phone cards from the Gila Valley. Contributed photo

The Three Way Store and Station in Greenlee County is also a collection point, Miles said.

We want to make sure we get as many cards as we can, Miles said.

Miles said Ace Hardware in Safford has ordered phone cards that can be purchased for the drive, and the Safford American Legion post, the local armed forces recruiting office and Chase Bank have agreed to take collection barrels. These are in addition to the barrels already placed in businesses throughout the community.

While some barrels are filling up, others have had few phone cards deposited.

Phone cards can be purchased from many stores throughout the Gila Valley. Miles said many of the cards cost as little as $4.

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