Published: November 30, 2008 08:50 pm      

Operation Santa

Project brings Christmas to troops

The Independent — Christmas presents are on their way to more than 100 local troops thanks to the community and a local support group for military families.

Volunteers packed boxes of goodies at the Lloyd Church of the Nazarene on Saturday to be mailed this week to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan in time for Christmas.

It is the fourth year the organization has collected items as part of Operation Santa and, by all accounts, this year was the most successful yet, according to members of the Tri-State chapter of the Marine Corps Family Support Community.

The organization has been collecting items and having fundraisers to raise postage for the packages for weeks and is comprised of about 50 members with loved ones in all branches of the armed services that are deployed overseas, stationed stateside or even retired.

“We usually do this at my house, but we had so much donated this year there was just no way,” said organizer Mary Jo Vermilyea of Ironton. “The community has been wonderful this year.”

Local businesses, schools, service organizations and individuals donated thousands of items including handheld electronic games, word puzzles, DVDs, toiletries, fleece blankets, socks, t-shirts, and a variety of boxed and canned food.

The most precious items, however, were handwritten and illustrated cards from area school children, bearing personalized messages of thanks, praise and holiday wishes.

Vermilyea said most of the boxes will go to soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, including local members of the 201st Engineering Battalion.

Marilyn Cline, 61, said in addition to providing necessities to the troops the care packages provide lots of little extras civilians often take for granted. The packages remind troops they are appreciated, she said.

“To them it means they have the support of their community,” Cline said. “They know they always have the support of their families but, when this stuff comes in, it helps to give them a sense of purpose. When they get the cards they know their community is behind them, that they aren’t there in vein.

“It’s stuff like this that really gets the guys in the heart,” she said, thumbing through the children’s handwritten cards, including one with the message: “You are brave,” scribbled inside.

Vermilyea said the group sends packages each month to their own soldiers but the outpouring from the public at Christmas helps them send packages to many more troops. This is the fourth year the local chapter has participated in Operation Santa and the number of boxes has increased annually, Vermilyea said.

She said oftentimes the general public wants to help but doesn’t know how, especially if they don’t know a soldier.

Individuals wanting to make donations or send packages to local troops throughout the year are encouraged to contact Vermilyea. She can be reached by e-mail at mjv526@yahoo.com.

CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.