Middletown seeks donations to support soldiers in Iraq MIDDLETOWN - The township is gearing up to support a unit of 59 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division who are expected to deploy to Iraq later this year. One of the township's first missions is to collect supplies for care packages that will be sent to soldiers while they are away from home, according to Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger, who co-chairs the Adopt-A-Troop Steering Committee with Committeeman Thomas Wilkens. Middletown is seeking donations of the following items: pillows, sheets, towels, AA and AAA batteries, resealable storage containers, eye drops, athlete's foot spray, foot powder, A&D ointment, Neosporin, green socks, Nerf footballs, black bungee cords, compressed air, spices, dental floss, scrub brushes for boots, room deodorizer, fly swatters, antacids, instant coffee, shower flip-flops, newspapers and magazines. Donations can be dropped off at the Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St.; the Middletown Senior Center, 900 Leonardville Road; Hillside Community Center, 144 Chestnut Ave.; T.K. Bayshore Recreation Center, 50 Bray Ave; and the Middletown Library's main branch at 55 New Monmouth Road, Navesink branch at Monmouth and Sears avenues, and Lincroft branch at 722 Newman Springs Road. Middletown officially adopted C Company, 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division in December through America Supporting Americans, a nonprofit organization that links individual units with communities across the nation. The township is working with the school district and local veterans organizations to develop ongoing activities to support American soldiers. More Adopt-A-Troop activities will be listed on www.middletownnj.org and cable Channel 20.