Towns4Troops just completed another successful campaign – one in which 950 stuffed stockings were distributed to local service men and women, as well as those serving overseas.
“It’s been incredible,” said coordinator Rick Walls. “It’s overwhelming to see so much support for our men and women in uniform. It’s beyond humbling. To see the smiles on the faces of these young men and women when they get a stocking, it’s so heartwarming. Everyone is so polite and thankful. It makes you feel good.”
Fund raising begins over the summer with the Iron Chef Barbecue competition. Nine teams, which included some military personnel and first responders, entered the competition that was won by the Orange County Corrections Officers. The event raised $10,000, with 80 percent of the funds supporting the Towns4Troops effort.
On Veterans Day, collection boxes were placed in Monroe-Woodbury, Cornwall, New Windsor, and Chester. After a month, the donations were collected and delivered to St Anastasia Catholic Church in Harriman. There, “elves” helped stuff stockings with toiletries, non-perishable food items, and other miscellaneous things.
About 40 items are placed in each stocking. Some end up bursting at the seams. Oversized items, too big to fit in a stocking, were donated to the Orange County Veterans Food Pantry. Local Boy Scouts sorted and weighed 400 lbs of oversized items alone.
Over the course of four weeks, the stuffed stockings were delivered to single men and women in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Drop-offs included West Point, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Saugerties, New Windsor, and Orangeburg.
Nearly 100 stockings were mailed to the approximately 12 Hudson Valley residents currently serving overseas. Walls said they mail so many stockings so they can be shared with fellow soldiers and marines.
The last deliveries, made on Christmas Day, were to those working security on military bases.
Last year’s donations were enough to fill 500 stockings and this year’s goal was to fill 750 stockings. Walls attributed the success to an increased number of drop-off locations and volunteers stepping up to the plate.