Care packages are designed to go to military members who are overseas during Christmas, unable to make it home to spend the holidays with loved ones. The Blue Star Mothers are devoted to ensuring that these brave men and women receive these packages as many of them have, or have had, children that have been away fighting during the holiday season.

Throughout November, Blue Star Mothers has been accepting various donations to include in these care packages for soldiers. Various essentials accepted for donation include razors, q-tips, toys, games, shampoos, coffee, certain snacks, etc. The organization does ask that people refrain from donating certain items. Items not to be donated include aerosols, alcohol-based products, instant ramen noodles, flammable items (including, but not limited to lighters, matches, and hand warmers), nerf guns, pump sprays, plastic containers of fruit, easily crushable items (such as crackers or soft granola bars), liquids, and expired items or items close to the expiration date.

Donations are being accepted by the organization until Dec. 3. Those interested can find about 44 locations around the county that will collect items. Some locations include the Bemus Point Library, the Carroll Town Municipal Building, Clymer Community Bank, Jamestown Federal Credit Union, the North Harmony Town Municipal Building, all four Great Chautauqua FCU locations and five Inner Lakes FCU locations, many high schools in the county, and more. A complete list of locations can be found at www.bluestarmotherswny.com/2025-christmas-care-packages-collection-box-locations/. The group also accepts monetary donations. Online payment instructions are available on the Blue Star Mothers website along with an address with those wishing to mail checks.

The organization will also be holding an event at the Fluvanna Community Church, located at 3363 Fluvanna Ave. While the event will begin on Dec. 6 at 9 a.m., Blue Star Mothers President Susan Rowley noted that participants can begin to arrive at about 8:15. Rowley stated that before beginning, the participants will hold a brief ceremony at about 8:40, where the group will acknowledge, and pray for, the children of some participants that are serving. This event will contain a host of dedicated participants that will help to package the boxes to be shipped out. The group has helped supply thousands of soldiers over the years. In 2024 shipped about 1,121 care packages, and about 997 in 2023.

A pile of the 997 care packages that were shipped by Blue Star Mother Lake Erie N.Y. 4 in 2023.

Blue Star Mothers encourages anybody who has a child that will be deployed for the holidays to reach out to the organization with any interest in sending a care package. For any information or questions, contact (716)-450-5593.

The town of Carroll municipal building, located at 5 Main Street in Frewsburg.

Herman Kent Post 777, located at 26 Jackson Ave. This is one of the collection locations for donated items.