Holiday Care Packages 2023 Recap
On November 4th and 7th, the West Point Parents Club of Michigan, in collaboration with the Eastern Michigan U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) parent club, marked the 16th year of their annual holiday care package event. Together, with 165 dedicated volunteers and the support of generous donors, they accomplished something truly special.
Impact: Over two days, boxes filled with love and essentials were carefully packaged and sent to 1,200 Michigan National Guard soldiers, sailors, and airmen deployed overseas during the holidays. Each box, designed to cater to two soldiers, contained a variety of high-quality items, from clothing and snacks to personal hygiene products and heartfelt notes of support.
Community Spirit in Action: The first packing event kicked off at the Velocity Center in Sterling Heights, involved club members, West Point alumnae and family members as well as Eastern Michigan USAFA Parents Club members. The packing was followed by a lively “tailgate” and a joint viewing of the Army/Air Force football game. The second event unfolded at the Meijer Headquarters in Grand Rapids, where Meijer volunteers, alongside with West Point Parents Club of Michigan members, participated in the packing efforts. The collaborative spirit among the 165 volunteers was truly heartwarming.
Generous Sponsors Making a Difference: None of this would have been possible without the support of generous individual member and corporate sponsors. Through your contributions, West Point Parents Club of Michigan was able to ship a diverse array of items carefully chosen based on service member input and veteran experience. From clothing and snack foods to personal hygiene items and games, each box was a thoughtful collection of comfort and joy.
A Heartfelt Thanks to Our Troops: The holiday care packages were not just about material gifts; they carried the warmth of handmade holiday stockings crafted by West Point cadet grandmothers. Personal notes of support and gratitude from WPPC-MI, coupled with handwritten holiday greetings from various Scout troops across Michigan, added a personal touch that truly resonated with our deployed service members.
Shipping with Purpose: This year, with the support of the Michigan National Guard Armory in Bay City, the WPPC-MI used ShipThrifty.com’s mailing service, cutting shipping costs by almost 50%. This strategic move allowed the club to channel more resources into ensuring the quality of the box contents, prioritizing the needs and preferences of the recipients.
Heartwarming Feedback: The responses and feedback from those who received the care packages have been overwhelming. It reinforces the profound impact and significance of these events, bringing a piece of home and love to our service members who are far away from the comforts of family during the holidays.
Here’s an excerpt from Col. Thomas McMahan, whose troops received some of these packages:
“You should know…your kindness has touched the lives of the Soldiers in this theater of operations and serves as a powerful reminder of the support and the strong connection we all have with our families, loved ones, and friends (for my Soldiers this includes new ones like you) even when we are far from home. It absolutely strengthens our pride to serve our great nation in the world’s most formidable Army!”
As we celebrate 16 years of supporting our troops abroad, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who played a part in making this year’s holiday care package event a remarkable success. The spirit of giving and community is alive and well, and together, we continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who sacrifice so much for our country.
Special thanks to:
- Boy Scout Packs and Troops from all over the State of Michigan who supported this effort. Click here to see what packs and troops participated this year.
- Individual donors who offered items to include, essential cash for shipping, and important support for the packing events.
- Meijer, Inc. who has generously contributed for their second year to this great project.
- West Point Parents Club of Michigan organizing committee: Laura Varhola, Becky Vander Ploeg, Lucy Simmerer and Rebecca Ufford.
Holiday Care Packages 2022 Recap
More than 1,100 Stockings. Supporting U.S. Troops around the globe.
This year’s Operation Holiday Care Packages project was our most successful yet! Heartfelt thanks each of you who participated in so many ways—through in-kind donations, cash donations, corporate support, showing up early, driving extra miles, packing stockings and boxes and generally making this our biggest and best year ever.
In the end, more than $20,000 in cash and boodle were contributed to this awesome project. We shipped 1,100 stockings and gift bags to deployed troops from every rank and branch serving around the world. Led by dozens of our own members, Cub Scout Troops, National Honor Societies, families from outside the military and The Eastern Michigan USAFA Parents Club joined us for this welcome collaboration. Lou Steenstra’s vision of 15 years ago continues to grow and I’m so proud of our efforts!! Next year promises to be even better. If you weren’t able to be a part this year, you’ll want to watch for all of the details for next year.
Gold Star Donor–Meijer
No word of gratitude would be complete without mentioning the exceptional contribution of Meijer, its employee group MVets, and numerous employees. Led by our member, 2024 Mom, Becky Vander Ploeg, Meijer donated items, cash, manpower and work time and location to pack at least 400 of the stockings that were apart of this success story.
Here is a list of our 2022 corporate and organizational sponsors. Please consider supporting their businesses throughout the year and making them aware that you are grateful for their support:
- Meijer and M Vets
- 4imprints (promotional products)
- Motor City Casino
- Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan
- Great Lakes Council Boy Scouts of America
- Eastern Michigan United States Air Force Academy Parents Club
- Spikeball
- Wells Fargo-Kercheval Financial Group
- Bloomfield Hills Friends of the Library
- BJ’s Restaurant, Livonia
- Social Action Committee Temple Kol Ami
- West Point Society of Michigan
- FireKeepers Casino
- Costco