VIDALIA &045; An effort is under way to help local National Guard members fill their downtime in Iraq.

Delta Bank is asking individuals or businesses to donate DVD movies for members of the 1087th Transportation Co. of the Louisiana Army National Guard, which is serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Delta Bank’s Jennifer Freeman said several of the bank’s customers are in the 1087th, which has members from Concordia and Catahoula parishes and is based in Jonesville.

&uot;We don’t have online banking, so they e-mail me,&uot; Freeman said.

One of the guard members told her they had hoped to be home last summer but now might be in Iraq for several more months. He told Freeman he had bought a DVD player to help alleviate the boredom &045; and the homesickness &045; but the unit had few DVDs to watch.

So Freeman, whose bank has already collected other supplies to send to the troops overseas, decided to try a new project.

&uot;They’re possibly giving up a year of their lives to serve their country and all of us in the military,&uot; she said. &uot;I’d like to do something for them.&uot;

Individuals who would like to donate a DVD movie to the unit can drop them off at Delta Bank in Vidalia. Requested movies include &uot;Pale Rider,&uot; &uot;Fletch,&uot; &uot;Training Day,&uot; &uot;Black Sheep,&uot; &uot;Billy Madison,&uot;

&uot;Happy Gilmore,&uot; &uot;Beverly Hills Cop,&uot; &uot;Trading Places,&uot; &uot;Field of Dreams,&uot; &uot;Crimson Tide,&uot; &uot;The Hunt for Red October,&uot; and others.

Once the movie wish list is filled, bank employees will package the DVDs to send to the soldiers in Iraq.

&uot;This is a way that we can say ‘thanks’ to them for what they are doing for our country,&uot; Freeman said.

Kathy Stevens, a member of the support group for the sister guard unit the 1086th, said the support group is continuing its work to raise money for a homecoming party for the troops.

The group is selling T-shirts and has a few yard signs left. Anyone interested can purchase those from Stevens at the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Department.