A group of community residents gathered on Saturday morning at the Vevay American Legion Hall to help fill Christmas boxes that are being sent to soldiers who are currently deployed in Afghanistan with local ties.
The community donated items to put in the packages, and this year items packed included such things as: baby wipes, hand sanitizer, lip balm, razors, tooth brushes and toothpaste, along with much more.
Also included were food items; and – to provide some Christmas cheer – there were also presents wrapped in Christmas paper, stockings filled with goodies, and holiday candy.
There were enough donations that each soldier will be receiving four boxes of treats from the Switzerland County community.
Local children, working through art teachers in the county and also area churches, also provided homemade Christmas cards that were placed in each box; and those helping pack the boxes also signed Christmas cards that will be mailed separately in time for the holidays.
Many of those helping were family members of the soldiers receiving packages; but for others, it was a way of doing something special and meaningful for those soldiers who will spend the holidays away from family and friends.
Christmas boxes were prepared for the following soldiers: Grant Priest; Private Brady Lattire; AM2 Dustin Rosewell; Christopher Rosenberger; Jacob Miller; 2 Lieutenant Donovan Sullivan; SFC Michael Bushman; 1 Lieutenant Ryan Wood; and Holly Everette.