By Thomas J. Sullivan–
Sacramento Blue Star Moms are looking for volunteers to help set up and pack some 400 care packages which will be shipped to deployed U.S. service members all over the world this holiday season.
The upcoming package packing party will be held Saturday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall.
“Any help the public can provide the evening before on Friday, Nov. 8th to help set up, or on the day of the event, even for a short while is greatly appreciated,” said Blue Star Moms president Debbie Konvalin. Her son recently left on a nine-month overseas deployment.
Individual care packages, packed full of snacks, treats and personal items, are mailed by the Sacramento Blue Star Moms multiple times each year to active duty service members from local communities as Citrus Heights and the surrounding area.
The nonprofit group also welcomes donations throughout the year to offset the financial cost to ship each care package to deployed service members. The U.S. Postal Service charges $18 on average per box shipped, and the estimated cost of the holiday mailing to the Sacramento Blue Star Moms will be $8,000 when it is dropped off for delivery, she said.
The nonprofit group asks that those wishing for a care package to be sent to their service member confirm that their mailing address is valid for at least 30 days from their expected shipping date.
“Those packages which aren’t sent to a specific service member are sent to each unit’s chaplain for distribution,” she said.
While the mailing of 400 boxes this holiday season is a target goal, Konvalin said the public can stop by the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall to add the name of their deployed service member to the shipping list.
“We’ve usually had a lot of help from the Sea Cadets, Boy Scouts and many community groups on each packing day,” she said.
All hand-packed care packages contain cards or letters, a note of appreciation and support, and over $50 in practical individual-sized items which a service member can carry in the field.
Needed items collected by the Sacramento Military Moms throughout the year include protein bars, jerky, canned tuna, batteries, foot powder, socks, razors, lip balm, canned/dried fruit, canned soup/chili/meals, ramen noodle packs, trail mix, cards/letters, snacks and monetary donations towards postage.
Sacramento Blue Star Moms is a nonprofit military/veteran support organization with a charitable 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Roseville Veterans’ Memorial Hall, at 110 Park Drive in Roseville. Membership is open to mothers of active duty, Guard or Reserves service members, or honorably discharged Veterans, from all service branches of the United States and the merchant marines.
To request a CARE package to be sent to your loved one who is deployed fill out a request form at https://www.sacramentobluestarmoms.org/Request-a-CARE-Package.html. Contact the Sacramento Blue Star Moms at support@sacramentobluestarmoms.org or visit www.sacramentobluestarmoms.org.
