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Blue Star Mothers Have Big Turn Out Saturday

Another year, another Blue Star Mothers Christmas care package event. But the continued support and community turnout this year brought President Susan Rowley to tears — most definitely out of joy.

“This is overwhelming,” Rowley said of the support.

Held always on the first Saturday of December, the Blue Star Mothers of America Lake Erie-New York Chapter 4 host the annual Christmas care package community boxing event. The care packages are later sent to active servicemen and women who are overseas and cannot travel home for the holidays. The Fluvanna Community Church has provided a location for the charitable event for five years. The event has been growing since its first implementation 11 years ago.

“When you look around, you feel the unity of our community,” Rowley said. “We’re coming together to support our men and women who are deployed and serving who are away from their families for Christmas. Again, united we stand and we are standing united here today.”

Rowley and Kathie Colver, vice president of the local Blue Star Mothers, believed Saturday was the biggest turnout they have observed. They estimated that at 9:30 a.m. there were around 400 people inside the church just at that time. Rowley previously told The Post-Journal the group received more than 1,000 names and addresses for servicemen and women to potentially provide with packages.

She was hopeful that the organization would be able to meet that mark on Saturday.

“This is such a representation of the community and how much support we get from them,” Colver said.

Colver pointed out the variety of individuals who attended the event. Children, teenagers, adults, veterans, active military, local officials, youth groups and a variety of other local charitable organizations were all present.

Donated items included food, hygiene items and various products that are then shipped to troops overseas. All donated items are provided by the community while the Blue Star Mothers provide for the costs of postage.

Community members entered through the side entrance of the church into a large hall where lines began to circle around each other.

“This hasn’t happened before,” Rowley said of the sheer numbers of people inside the church.

Last year, the organization collected 850 names and addresses, but in the end the non-profit organization had enough supplies to send 920 packages.

Rowley reiterated the importance of the care packages they send out every year. She said the initiative has only gotten bigger in its 11th year. The care package initiative has grown larger than just the non-profit organization, Rowley said it has become a community-oriented event.

When volunteers enter, they are met by a wall patterned with “thank you” cards from servicemen and women who have previously received the care packages through the Blue Star Mothers.

One letter from a deployed servicemen said “many parts of life over here are difficult.” The letter opened by thanking the Blue Star Mothers and other volunteers who helped provide the care packages. The servicemen detailed the use of items within the care packages from utilizing the gifted toothpaste and eating the donated snacks on missions.

“This is our gift back,” Rowley said of receiving the letters.

At around 9:40 a.m. a bell began to ring signaling the 100th box that had been packaged. Rowley hoped the bell would be rung another 10 times before noon.

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