FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Team Fairchild volunteers packed over 400 care packages for deployed military members to receive over the holidays during an event called Treats2Troops, Dec. 3, 2019, here.
With the early start time of 6 a.m., nearly 40 civilian and Air Force volunteers worked together in completing its ninth successful year.
“It’s been a joint effort between Krem 2 News and Fairchild from the beginning,” said Laura Papetti, news anchor for Krem 2 News. “[Treats2Troops] shows me how involved people are here in the Inland Northwest and how much love people have that they want to send it around the world.”
Care packages included magazines, cards made by kids from local schools, toiletries, games, coffee, granola bars, chips, cookies, beef jerky and plenty of candy.
“It’s a hard time to be away during the holidays,” said Laurie Howard, Fairchild Spouses Club parliamentarian. “I think [care packages] send a little bit of home and a piece of the community to them and it lets them know they’re not forgotten.”
There were donation drives throughout the year that brought in the holiday treats from all over the community, individuals and businesses.
“I’m so proud of our community and everything that people did to get the packages together,” said Papetti. “You have individuals, organizations and businesses that work in a dynamic and cohesive way to make sure there is Christmas around the world.”
Working in a deployed environment can be stressful, especially during the holidays, the community coming together to support deployed Airmen is essential to enhancing quality of life for our troops.