A Triangle family is looking for help for a relative who is a soldier deployed in Afghanistan.

But Emily Goatcher isn't collecting items for her brother, Capt. Andrew Stewart.

She's collecting donations to buy soccer balls she can send to her brother so he can give them out to Afghan children.

"I think it really tugged at his heart," said Goatcher. "He told us about meeting kids with very little, who have probably all of their lives lived in a war-torn country, who know nothing else. Giving them a simple thing like a soccer ball would mean so much."

So Goatcher got the ball rolling by asking family and friends for donations of cash to buy soccer balls and ship the items, as well as individual soccer balls.

She's shipping about 100 soccer balls to her brother this weekend.

But now she's starting an Internet campaign with the goal of collecting and shipping 1,000 soccer balls by the time Capt. Stewart returns home in one year.

"I think it will help create a bond between the local Afghanys and the U.S. soldiers," said Goatcher.

The Premier Soccer stores on Leesville Road and in the Crossroads shopping center are collecting donations. For more information, log onto http://operationandysgift.blogspot.com.