updated 7:54 a.m.
PT, Wed., Feb. 11, 2009
The West Side Soldiers Aide Society was
just trying to help Marines fighting in Afghanistan, but they soon
learned the care packages they sent were likely filled with contaminated
food.
MILWAUKEE - "We just wanted to pack,
nutritious, helpful items," Patricia Lynch of the West Side Soldiers
Aide Society said about sending care packages to Marines in Afghanistan.
When the group got word the troops were losing weight, they packed 50 boxes
full of high protein food, including peanut butter crackers and peanut butter
granola bars. "Almost a third were those kind
of items," Lynch said. That was before the holidays, and before the
salmonella outbreak. The group says Sam's Club, where they bought the items
in bulk, emailed and called their members to let them know the products they
bought were among the batches that were likely contaminated with salmonella
after peanut butter products were recalled. "It really bothers me
because there was no way for us to notify the Marines that these items were
dangerous," Lynch said. TODAY'S TMJ4 contacted the United States Marine
Corps about the care packages. The Marines say since the area where the
Marines are stationed is so remote, that there is a chance the packages
haven't even reached the troops yet. Patricia Lynch and her friends are
hoping that's the case. "It's really distressing," Lynch said.
"On top of everything they're suffering, living in an area without
water, electricity, and just really immense hardships. So it really bothered
me that they could be sick from what we sent." The Marines says they are
working to contact the troops who are supposed to get the care packages, but
say because that area is so remote, that there really is no way to tell if
the troops already got the packages, or if anybody got sick.
