By SCOTT HARRISON

s.harrison@krdo.com

COLORADO SPRINGS - Three weeks after the heated battle in Afghanistan which killed eight Fort Carson soldiers, a local Target store Saturday joined American Legion Post 209 and national Legion members in helping about 80 survivors of that battle.  Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars also participated.

The Legion and Target together raised more than $100,000 to buy video games, I-pods and other entertainment materials to replace possessions lost by the soldiers in the battle.  About 40 Post members spent $4,000 worth of gift cards on the items to be sent to Afghanistan.

"I have a friend over there," says Legion member Scott Riebel.  "He told me when they're done fighting the Tailban, they like to come back and fight each other."  So games like Halo, Call of Duty and sports games were quickly snapped up.

The fundraising effort began shortly after the battle, when Mark Seavey--who created the Legion blog The Burn Pit--received a discouraging E-mail from a survivor.  "It said no one back in America cared.  And that struck us pretty hard.  Our goal is to make sure they understand that we do care."  Seavey himself recently returned from serving in Afghanistan, and Legion members are veterans who understand the soldier's mindset.

Other shopping trips are planned in Minnesota and Virginia.  Also, a Connecticut computer company plans to donate 56 laptops to the unit known as Bravo Troop, 361st Cavalry.