Afghanistan will feel the heat of the Red River Rivalry this football season with Operation Red River Care.

Operation Red River Care does not involve military action or football games, however–it is a project created by OU alumna Capt. Katie Illingworth and University of Texas alumnus Maj. Tobin Griffeth, to provide much-needed supplies for local Afghans using the spirit generated from the famous rivalry.

Griffeth and Illingworth, who was deployed to Afghanistan four months ago, are fiscal and contract lawyers supporting Operation Enduring Freedom’s Combined Joint Task Force 82 in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

“There are a lot of issues concerning supplies that the Afghan families need,” Illingworth said. “It’s very Third World here.”

Illingworth said she and Griffeth enlisted the support of family and friends back home to donate items, such as clothes, school supplies and shoes, awarding points to each university for each package sent.

The two officers give the aid to Army Task Forces on the ground and chaplains of care organizations, who distribute it to villages across Afghanistan.

The University of Texas is currently leading 10-2 over OU, according to Illingworth, but OU students are looking to change that.

Hunter Morris, Illingworth’s brother and a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, is organizing the SAE pledge class to take the lead.

“We’ve had several members step up and take leadership roles,” said Morris, entrepreneurship senior. “We’re going to start trying to put out a couple boxes a week.”

Morris said all of the SAE pledge class and most members of the house will be involved.

“We’re going to roll out and get as many boxes delivered as we can,” he said.

Illingworth said she and Griffeth came up with the idea after chaplains told them they were having difficulty acquiring certain supplies for the local Afghans. She said Griffeth often teased her about being an OU alumna, and then they came up with the idea to use that rivalry to generate support.

“I’m a diehard Sooner fan, and our rivalry with Texas generates a lot of energy,” Illingworth said. “We thought it would be great to direct that energy to helping people here.”

Samuel Huskey, associate professor of classics and letters, who taught Illingworth when she was a student at OU, said he has been spreading awareness of the project as well. Huskey said Illingworth has always been concerned with the needs of others.

“This seems just a natural extension of what she does,” Huskey said. “Even in the middle of a war, she’s thinking about the people who need help.”

Illingworth said the situation for local Afghans is very poor, with many families living in straw and mud huts.

“Afghan kids will come close to the base asking for food, and soldiers will often give out their extra meals to them,” she said. “There is a real crisis in terms of health care as well.”

Illingworth said that Afghans are generally very thankful for the donations, despite the negative perception many of them have of the U.S.

“A couple of situations of donating haven’t gone well,” Illingworth said. “But for the most part, they really are thankful.”

While the U.S. is divided over the war, which reached its eighth year Oct. 7, Illingworth said that students should get involved despite their opinions.

“There are always going to be people out there who think bullets and bombs aren’t the right answer,” Illingworth said. “This project is really an undisputable way to give and assist a nation that really needs this kind of charity and aid.”

She said the project was a personal endeavor between her and Griffeth, and it is not associated with the military or USAID.

“It’s not about the war in any way,” Huskey said. “It’s about helping people in a country who are suffering badly.”

Illingworth said she and Griffeth might spread the idea to other schools during the next football season in 2010.

“ESPN likes to cover stuff going on with the troops, so maybe we can shoot out to them,” she said.

The winner of the contest will be announced Dec. 3.

Operation Red River Care Rules:

1. Send donations in Flat Rate Priority boxes. Each box counts as 1 point. Please do not send half-full boxes just for the point—they may not be counted. Boxes bigger than Priority count as 1 point and smaller than Priority count as ½ point.

2. Donations must arrive no later than three days prior to the Big 12 Championship game.

Items needed: Children’s clothes (especially for winter), men’s and boys’ clothes, school supplies, blankets, shoes and basic toys.

Please DO NOT send batteries, women’s clothes or religious items.

Donations can be sent to:

CJTF-82-OSJA

APO AE 09354

Sooner fans: address to Katie Illingworth.

Include your name, organization and address so Illingworth and Griffeth can send you a certificate of appreciation and let you know which team wins.