U.S. armed forces members may be thousands of miles away, but north county let them know they are part of the community.
Dozens of people from all walks of life and all age ranges came to St. John the Baptist Catholic School’s gymnasium on Jan. 24 to show support for the troops. The gathering packed to the brim a mountain of flat-rate boxes to ship overseas for members of the military currently serving.
“It’s cool that everyone comes together to help the troops,” Jenna Manfredi said.
She and several other girls came from Girl Scout Troop Unit 107 in Windsor to help with the effort, alongside Boy Scouts, veterans and St. John’s students, among many others.
Military packages gallery
“It’s this actual sense of community with a common goal,” Carlton Smirni said. “Togetherness … it’s what we’re all about.”
Smirni is part of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 223 in Santa Rosa, which pays for the shipping. He and several other members of the chapter were on hand to get supplies ready before the packing began.
Supplies included everything from toothpaste to non-perishable food, handmade hats to Valentine’s Day cards. Each group had a role and once they were ready, they gathered for a group photo to be sent with the packages.
Then it was time to pack. Everyone took a box and went to each station to take a little of everything. Then, they went back and did it again, and again, until all the hand-decorated boxes were full.
“It shows we care even if we don’t know them personally,” Laurel Hager said.
It was the first time many younger members of the community had participated in a project like this, but they all said they’d do it again. For some, it was fun to go around and pack the boxes. For others, it was the decoration. No matter what the highlight, young or old, there was a great appreciation for the service and sacrifice of men and women willing to defend residents’ freedom and lives with their own.
Afterward, as the tables were emptied and the packages were taped, people got the chance to video chat over a phone with service members, which brought up strong emotions plain on the faces of the volunteers. It ended with a heartfelt goodnight as the phone passed along one last time, and though the event was over, residents found common ground, and military members will receive a slice of the county that will last much longer than the night.
