More than 100 soldiers with Green River connections will receive care packages for Christmas.
Last week, members of the VFW Post No. 2321 gathered at the Green River Post Office to prepare and send about 120 care packages to soldiers serving overseas or in a foreign country.
“This is not a one-person deal. It takes a lot of people to get things together,” VFW Post No. 2321 commander Earl McDonald said. “The post office is really good about having people ready to help.”
With such a large number of boxes needing to be sent, McDonald made sure he scheduled a time with the post office to get all of them ready. Despite all of the preparations some snags arose.
“By the time we had everything labeled and addressed it was fairly late in the day,” he said.
By the end of the day, McDonald knew their work would pay off because the soldiers care packages were being sent to would arrive before Christmas.
Some of the items packed in those boxes included, food, soap, candy, notes, cards, pens, paper, gum, toothpaste and toothbrush.
He said all of the items are necessary, but hard to obtain in a foreign country or when a soldier is overseas.
“Especially, when you’re out in the sticks,” he said.
McDonald knows first hand just how important these care packages are.
He said he can still recall the time he received a care package while he was in Vietnam.
A lot of the soldiers knew before he did that he was getting a care package and gathered around to see what he received when he opened it.
McDonald said he was happy to share with the others, but he would not share his chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Those he saved for himself. Some things he just couldn’t give away.
He said it is really common for soldiers to share the items they receive in a care package. It’s not just one person a care package helps out, he said.
The VFW has been sending care packages overseas and to foreign countries for the past five years. Last year, they sent around 100.
“The more we do this, the more we send,” McDonald said.
In the past, the VFW has also tried to send care packages twice a year, once in June and the other in December. Some years they have enough funding, donations and help and other times they don’t, but they always make sure care packages are sent out in December.
Fundraisers and donations for this project are collected throughout the year. In fact, the VFW is already starting to collect for next year.
McDonald said any solider who is serving overseas or in a foreign country will receive a care package.
If a resident knows of someone who fits this criteria, then all they need to do is provide a member of the VFW with the person’s name and address and a care package will be sent.
The program will continue for all long as this country has soldiers overseas or in foreign countries, McDonald said.
“We’re always trying to get things together for them,” he said. “We appreciate any and all donors who made this possible.”
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