Packing Love and Care

On Wednesday July 24th, Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support hosted our monthly Muster & Mingle at the Tipp Center in Tipp City. Unlike a typical Muster & Mingle, everyone coming in was focused on the goal of the day, and you could tell they were excited to get going. As usual, everyone made their way to their dinner tables and started chatting with friends both old and new, but there was an excitement and anticipation in the air that you could almost feel.

Our Director Valerie made some announcements about upcoming events, reminded those in attendance about our upcoming School Supply Giveaway, and then prayed a blessing for the meal. Dinner was simple, hamburgers and hot dogs cooked by our Director of Development, as well as baked beans, coleslaw, and cupcakes.

After everyone had eaten, we got into the real reason why we were gathered. Muster & Mingle really focuses on bringing veterans together for community and accountability, and this evening we went a step futher. We packed 60 care packages for sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and soldiers deployed to Kuwait. These care packages are going to uplift soldiers and sailors who have yet to receive packages. They are the ones who need a reminder of a nation who supports them and to feel the love of a note handwritten by someone who knows where they’ve been.

As the boxes were packed, those packing shared stories of their own care packages, received during basic training or times of war. The memorable items (homemade cookies were on top of everyone’s list) and the weird (an entire canned ham to the front lines of Vietnam!). It was clear that these packages were memorable for everyone. We even heard stories from those who may have never received a care package but were the ones doing the sending. We quickly realized that burning that all important batch of cookies was a shared experience!

We are grateful for the support of the community in creating these packages. Filling 60 boxes with items ranging from snacks to personal care items is no easy feat, but thanks to a supportive community, the boxes we sent were full to the brim. We are especially thankful to our new friends at VFW Post 2800 Stuart Patterson Memorial and the Troy Lions for not only their generous donations but also for helping us pack the boxes.

Muster and Mingle is a twice-monthly event, hosted the first Tuesday of each month in Piqua at the Miami Co YMCA Activity Center and the last Wednesday of every month in Tipp City at the Tipp Center. To get more information about our upcoming events, please head over to our Upcoming Events page!