Theater benefit to raise military morale by mail

Theatergoers can attend a benefit performance of "Wish You Were Her" at the Stage Door Theatre and at the same time help U.S. troops have some comforts from home.

Proceeds from the $12 tickets for the 2 p.m. Sun., April 29 performance of the farce will benefit Operation Interdependence, a national nonprofit organization that delivers bags full of goodies to the military.

Patrons can also bring items to be packed inside quartsize plastic bags and sent to personnel serving oversees. Such items can include jerky, disposable cameras, candy, blank CDs, music CDs, lip balm, dental floss, pens, phone cards, toothpaste, travel games, canned meat, trail mix, pens, paper, travel-size toiletries and gum.

These items can also be put in a box no larger than 14 by 14 by 14 inches and weighing no more than 30 pounds, with enough bags for a platoon of 50. Each box is screened before it is mailed. It costs about $30 to mail a box through the post office, according to Operation Interdependence website information.

For more information, go to www.oidelivers.org.

Donations for more than the ticket price will be accepted, but are not required to see the play.

Just about anything that would fit into a baggie and would make the troops more comfortable is permitted. Food must be sealed or it will be discarded. An example of food that would be discarded are peppermints with twist wrappers that can be tampered with.

The Stage Door Theatre is at 28311 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills. Reservations are necessary. For tickets or for more information, call (818) 889-5209.

- - Nancy Needham