What kind of from-home item could get a soldier all choked up?

Cough drops. It’s the kind of take-it-for granted goods Realtor Melinda Barton said her son may not have been able to easily get when he was deployed in Afghanistan. Now a Chinook helicopter tech at Fort Drum, New York, Barton’s son, Sgt. Ronnie Barton, still values homemade goodies from home.

His grandmother, Mary Antley of Columbia, La., would send enough plum and muscadine jelly for him to share with others, Barton said, as some men without families were low on letters and sweets.

“It meant so much to him to know that people back home cared enough to send something,” Barton said.

The Port Neches, Port Arthur and Nederland Board of Realtors met Tuesday at the Pompano Club for a luncheon that featured an Adopt-A-Soldier care package. Yasiri Pablo said the project’s time is well-placed as the nation is supporting heroes in light of various tragedies. Support was immediate within the group, she said.

“Everybody was excited and wanted to participate,” she said.

A pair of Marines in full uniform attended the luncheon to thank the Realtors.

Sgt. David Ytuarte of Beaumont said the packages of snacks and toiletries, from people he’d never even met, symbolized America’s support.

“It’s just an extra piece of motivation to get up every day and do what we do,” Ytuarte said.

He introduced Pfc. Hayden Terrell of Groves who told the group that while he received several letters of support from family during his training, he witnessed others with no family who did not get that support.

“There were some that didn’t get anything for 13 weeks,” Terrell said.