They can't be home for the holidays, so the holidays are being sent to them. One nonprofit is working hard to make care packages to be delivered to troops.
For Sgt. Alejandra Guzman, packing these care packages is special. She has been one of those service members who's had to miss holidays while serving our country.
"All of these 400 boxes will make their way into deployed service members' arms this holiday season after they're packed by volunteers here at Fort Eustis and Dominion Energy," Guzman said. "Whenever we do receive these care packages it is the most uplifting thing that we get, we get letters from kids that write from schools and it's the biggest morale boost that we can get down there."
That's what inspired Navy veteran Chelsea Mandello to start the nonprofit Troopster. The boxes packed on Thursday with snacks and goodies were on behalf of her organization.
“Getting to be able to turn this around and serve those that are now in the military, it's a wonderful experience," she said. "I know what it’s like to be on the other end of those care packages.”
For the volunteers involved like Kimberly Lowers with Dominion Energy, in addition to other local service members, it was a time to spread thanks and joy.
All 400 boxes were sent off Thursday from Joint Base Langley-Eustis to troops in Kuwait and South Korea.
