Nebraska group sends care packages


A


uxiliary 1347 in Grand Island, Nebraska, knows that a little teamwork can go a long way. Even as far away as Kuwait.


For Veterans Appreciation Day at the Nebraska


State Fair, Auxiliary members partnered with the Central Community College’s Veterans Community Task Force (VCTF) to assemble care packages for active-duty units deployed from Nebraska. T e project, called “Operation Nebraska


Cares” was at the “Landing Zone” in the fair’s event tent, where veterans and service members are linked with community resources. T e goal was to collect 146 care packages, since the state fair turned 146 in 2015. Instead, volunteers assembled more than 300


care packages – more than double their goal! In the six weeks prior to the State Fair, VCTF hosted numerous collection events in Grand Island and Kearney at Central Community College locations, Grand Island Public Library, Hastings, Hy-Vee, Pump & Pantry and Walmart. Traditionally, the fair’s fi nal day is Veterans


Day and includes a recognition program, parade and the Landing Zone. T e tent was stocked with tables full of donations from the collection events as well as donations from numerous VFW Posts


16 | VFW Auxiliary Magazine


and Auxiliaries throughout the Department of Nebraska. T ey invited fairgoers into the tent to sponsor a care package, write letters to deployed service members and have their picture taken to be included in their care package. T ey received assistance from 4-H members in packing the boxes. Approximately 19 groups, including the VFW


Auxiliary, comprise the VCTF. T eir mission is to advise and advocate for past, present and future military members and their loved ones, connecting them to the proper resources and addressing gaps in services. “As a veteran myself I think this is important,


and I see time and time again, veterans run into challenges or barriers of not knowing where to go or what resources are available to them and their families in central Nebraska,” said Travis Karr, director of Veteran & Military Services, Central Community College. At the Landing Zone, “(veterans) come in to share stories of when they were in the service and they might be talking to someone from the VA, so then going to the VA is not that scary anymore.” VCTF has gotten several notes of thanks from


soldiers who received the very personalized care packages that contained everything from bottles of Gatorade to ramen noodles.


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