Fairbanks Elementary School students stand with members of the Armed Forces during the school’s Veterans Day event. Students collected supplies for the Troop Care Box Program, which will send gifts to the Ohio National Guard’s 1-174th Air Defense Artillery in Washington D.C. this holiday season.
(Photo submitted)
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Marysville soldiers received their stockings from Fairbanks students who helped with the Troop Care Box Program in conjunction with the Union County Military Family Support. Pictured from left to right are Cpt. Scott Presar, SSgt. Joshua Bujan, SSgt. Kierra Shulz, SFC Jennifer Sheets and SFC Bradd Harvey.
(Photo submitted)
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Soldiers stationed away from home this holiday season will be receiving some gifts thanks to the efforts of Fairbanks elementary students.
As part of the Troop Care Box Program, a community service project for the fourth grade class, students recently sent gifts to the Ohio National Guard’s 1-174th Air Defense Artillery, stationed in Washington, D.C.
Kim Bailey, a teacher in the elementary school, said packages were shipped to more than 200 soldiers. She said that soldiers who visited the school during the Veterans Day program last month told students that these types of care packages are really helpful to deployed units.
“We stuffed 260 stockings for them and this mission. They had all kinds of things in them,” she said. “It’s something that can really make a difference anytime but also this time of year, getting stuff from home.”
The unit is made up of soldiers from all over Ohio but does include some from Union County.
Last month, Bailey and two other fourth grade teachers, Amy Newell and Tyrone Hammond, collected items from classrooms that would all be packaged up and sent.
“We made up boxes and went around and collected from the different classrooms all the different things. We put together a list that had items like granola bars and Chapstick, things they might need or want,” Bailey said. “We had something like six or seven boxes filled.”
Bailey said the school works with Union County Military Family Support, the group that started in 2003 to provide support to area active duty and reservists along with veterans who have served since Sept. 11, 2001 as well as their families.
“The Union County Military Support group is one of the most supportive groups in the county. They really do a lot of great things to help out families and those serving in the military. The county is lucky to have it,” Bailey said. “More people should know they’re out there and what they do.”
The nonprofit group does a variety of things for Union County families, citing a “critical need for local military family support, to not only aid our neighbors, who are serving in the military, but also to support their families left behind.”
Ken Bonnell, who heads the UCMFS group as chairperson and works with his wife, Bonnie, said the support from students is “essential” to making those projects happen.
“I want to thank the wonderful students and staff of Fairbanks Elementary for the recent supply drive in support of our Troop Care Box Program. I especially want to thank your fourth grade students and Mrs. Bailey for organizing this great project,” Bonnell said in a letter to the school. “Please stress to your students that their wonderful gifts will help make Christmas a little brighter for our local military men and women serving away from home on a year-long mission protecting our nation’s capital, our federal government and the men and women living and working in the Washington, D.C. area.”
The school has participated in the program over the last few years and Bailey said, in addition to UCMFS, the project was made possible by support from the parents in the community.
“The school is very generous and gave a lot to help out,” she said. “It’s really everyone chipping in and getting this ready ahead of the holidays. This community is really generous.”