Lakeway Transit has been running routes in Morristown since 2021 and while they are celebrating five years of service they are also getting in on the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the nation.

In the week leading up to July 4, Lakeway Transit will be have free fares for riders as part of their 250 America Gives program and they are inviting the public to join them in giving for a collection for 250 items for care packages for deployed troops.

“We were coming up with some ideas to celebrate the 4th of July, and since this is the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, we wanted to do something special,” Lakeway Transit Shannon Collins said. “So we decided to offer fare free days for the week leading up to the 4th of July. It’s a great opportunity for anybody who has never ridden the bus to try it out for free.”

But the staff at Lakeway Transit and its parent organization, East Tennessee Human Resource Agency, wanted to do something to bring the community together to do some good.

Anyone can donate to the project to get needed items to members of the military. They partnered with Soldiers’ Angels, a group that “provides aid, comfort, and resources to the Military, Veterans, and their families.”

“They can also drop off a donation if they would like to partici- pate in our drive to collect items for troops that are deployed overseas,” Collins said. “Soldiers’ Angels will be putting them into care packages to go to troops that are deployed overseas.

“I’m really excited about it — it is a cause that is very close to my heart. I have a son who is currently serving in the Army active duty. He’s not deployed, thankfully, yet, but I’m still worry about him.”

Items being requested include:

• Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, deodorant, face wipes)

• Personal care items (combs, hairbrushes, nail clippers, emery boards, ChapStick, lotion, sunscreen)

• Socks

• Wet wipes

• Hand warmers

• Gum, mints and hard candy

• Small notebooks, pens, pencils and colored pencils • Crossword puzzles and other small activity books

• Protein bars, beef jerky, Slim Jims and dried fruit snacks “There are a lot of smaller items, so it’s not highpriced stuff,” Collins said. “It’s just things to kind of boost their morale and let them know that people back home are still thinking of them and that what they do is appreciated.”

Lakeway Transit, operated ETHRA, provides public transportation throughout Morristown using three fixed bus routes that connect residents with jobs, grocery stores, medical appointments and other destinations.

The service, which began operating in 2021, runs Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. using four buses and two Lift vehicles for eligible riders. In addition to standard transit service, buses are equipped with bicycle racks, and riders can transfer between routes through the system’s pulse network.

Lakeway Transit is designed to help residents maintain independence and access essential services throughout the city.