When Lance Corporal Adam C. Conboy called his mother and asked for sheets and blankets for his fellow troops, he didn’t know his simple request would spawn a phenomenon.

This marine’s request for bedding became the beginnings of Operation Bedding, a large-scale troop support effort headed by his mother, Mary Conboy.

Operation Bedding is a donations’ collection that sends U.S. troops overseas basic necessities that aren’t readily available to them. These include clean sheets and socks, drink mixes, razors and lip balm.

The project’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life to all military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by sending the comforts of home to their remote locations.”

Since the birth of Operation Bedding in 2006, nearly 10,000 boxes of supplies have been sent overseas by concerned citizens.

Soldiers have expressed their appreciation for the donations and some have written letters of gratitude on the Operation Bedding website.

Adam C. Conboy was killed in the line of duty on May 12, 2006. His mother continues to spearhead collection efforts in his honor, and Operation Bedding was named the Adam Conboy Memorial fund.

The organization currently collects donations at the Review Newspaper headquarters at 6220 Ridge Ave. in Philadelphia. Donors are currently encouraged to give the following items: toothpaste, power bars, shaving cream, wash cloths and bug spray.

The memory of a soldier has been upheld with this project, and his fellow soldiers are now a little more comfortable because of the idea he and his mother had.

For more information on Operation Bedding and the Adam C. Conboy Memorial Fund, visit adamconboymemorialfund.org or stop by the base of operations at 4257 Main St. in Manayunk.