Sacramento Blue Star Moms pack and send 325 care packages for troops serving overseas

Hundreds of care packages filled with snacks, personal care products and messages of support are on their way to U.S. troops serving overseas.Sacramento Blue Star Moms and community volunteers packed 325 boxes Saturday morning during a “pack party” at the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall.Many of the items packed Saturday were donated by members of the community during KCRA 3 and the American Red Cross’ Operation Care Package event held June 5 at the Roseville Auto Mall.Organizers said the care packages included shampoo, conditioner, soap, wipes, dental kits, beef jerky, candy and canned goods. The food being sent could help sustain a troop for up to three days.Volunteers also added puzzle books, small toys and handwritten letters, including notes created by local schoolchildren.“The most important thing is the letters from the community, especially the schoolchildren,” care package coordinator Karla Sedgwick said.Sedgwick said she has heard stories about deployed service members keeping the children’s letters close while working in the field.“Some of the soldiers will take the letters from the kids and stick them in their boots when they go out in the field,” she said. “It just makes them feel loved and appreciated.”Volunteers decorated the inside flaps of the boxes and wrote messages thanking the recipients for their military service.Kareena Hijjawi, who participated in the event for the first time, said her grandfather served in the military.“I like helping military people as much as I can,” Hijjawi said.Another volunteer who brought Girl Scout cookies added that the packages would provide comfort to people who may spend months without some of their favorite foods or personal care products.“Getting this would probably be a relief,” the mom said.Vietnam veteran Fred Keillor said the event reminded him of his own experience serving overseas. He said care packages were not as common during the Vietnam War and that most of the packages he received came directly from family members.“For the guys who are serving overseas, this is fantastic,” Keillor said. “I just love what the country is doing for our veterans today.”The Sacramento Blue Star Moms chapter was founded in 2005 and has been sending care packages to deployed troops for 21 years. The organization has approximately 70 Blue Star Mom members, 80 associate members, and hundreds of volunteers.The group sends about 1,500 care packages each year.“It really is a group effort,” Sedgwick said. “Having everyone from the community come out and band together and assist us really makes a difference.”The U.S. Postal Service picked up all 325 boxes from the Veterans hall Saturday.Sacramento Blue Star Moms’ next care package event is scheduled for November. The organization accepts donated supplies and financial contributions throughout the year to help purchase products and cover shipping costs.More information is available at SacramentoBlueStarMoms.org.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google

ROSEVILLE, Calif. —

Hundreds of care packages filled with snacks, personal care products and messages of support are on their way to U.S. troops serving overseas.

Sacramento Blue Star Moms and community volunteers packed 325 boxes Saturday morning during a “pack party” at the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall.

Many of the items packed Saturday were donated by members of the community during KCRA 3 and the American Red Cross’ Operation Care Package event held June 5 at the Roseville Auto Mall.

Organizers said the care packages included shampoo, conditioner, soap, wipes, dental kits, beef jerky, candy and canned goods. The food being sent could help sustain a troop for up to three days.

Volunteers also added puzzle books, small toys and handwritten letters, including notes created by local schoolchildren.

“The most important thing is the letters from the community, especially the schoolchildren,” care package coordinator Karla Sedgwick said.

Sedgwick said she has heard stories about deployed service members keeping the children’s letters close while working in the field.

“Some of the soldiers will take the letters from the kids and stick them in their boots when they go out in the field,” she said. “It just makes them feel loved and appreciated.”

Volunteers decorated the inside flaps of the boxes and wrote messages thanking the recipients for their military service.

Kareena Hijjawi, who participated in the event for the first time, said her grandfather served in the military.

“I like helping military people as much as I can,” Hijjawi said.

Another volunteer who brought Girl Scout cookies added that the packages would provide comfort to people who may spend months without some of their favorite foods or personal care products.

“Getting this would probably be a relief,” the mom said.

Vietnam veteran Fred Keillor said the event reminded him of his own experience serving overseas. He said care packages were not as common during the Vietnam War and that most of the packages he received came directly from family members.

“For the guys who are serving overseas, this is fantastic,” Keillor said. “I just love what the country is doing for our veterans today.”

The Sacramento Blue Star Moms chapter was founded in 2005 and has been sending care packages to deployed troops for 21 years. The organization has approximately 70 Blue Star Mom members, 80 associate members, and hundreds of volunteers.

The group sends about 1,500 care packages each year.

“It really is a group effort,” Sedgwick said. “Having everyone from the community come out and band together and assist us really makes a difference.”

The U.S. Postal Service picked up all 325 boxes from the Veterans hall Saturday.

Sacramento Blue Star Moms’ next care package event is scheduled for November. The organization accepts donated supplies and financial contributions throughout the year to help purchase products and cover shipping costs.

More information is available at SacramentoBlueStarMoms.org.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google