Thank you for the great article by staff reporter William Jeske and staff photographer Jacqueline Ramseyer in the April 9 issue of the Willow Glen Resident on the Payne family and our drive for Operation Yellow Ribbon. You did a great job tying those stories together.

I thought that the newspaper might be interested to know that the drive was very successful—about four truckloads successful! I was also able to get some Bay Area sports teams to pitch in and donate—the Warriors, the Sabercats, the Oakland A's and the San Jose Sharks. In fact, we received a few more boxes and bags of stuff after I completed the list, along with a very generous check for $500 to be used toward shipping.

Thanks for your help in spreading the word about OYR!

—Julie DeMaria, Walden Square