Oregon National Guard soldiers from Hood River and The Dalles will depart for Iraq next week with the 3rd Battalion 116th Calvary Brigade Combat Team and plans are already underway to provide their families with some holiday cheer.
Local businessman David Griffith is spearheading the collection of Christmas gifts for the children of 130 soldiers from The Dalles unit that have completed advanced training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and will spend almost one year in the Middle East. He has set up a donation bin at Griffith Motors, 523 E. Third Street, and invites community members to contribute a toy for children in one of four age groups; 0-5, 6-10, 11-14 and 15-18.
The majority of Guard children are elementary school age or younger so Griffith said more items will be needed in that age range. Several of the Army wives are expecting a child within the next few months so newborn items are also welcome. The deadline to drop off unwrapped toys at the car dealership is 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 13.
"I decided to help out with this cause because it isn't only the soldier that is serving during a deployment; the entire family is making sacrifices as well. I think it is really important to make the holidays a little brighter for these families because this is going to be a tough Christmas for them," said Griffith.
The Civic Auditorium Board of Directors has donated use of the facilities for the Holiday for Hero Families brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18. Because Santa will be making a visit, photographer Bob Davis of Tableau Vivant has donated his services to capture the moment for absentee mothers and fathers.
Griffith and Les Cochenour, both members of The Dalles Chapter of the Gorge Heroes Club, are working with Lisa Bishop, Family Readiness Group Coordinator for The Dalles unit, and other military families and veterans to organize the brunch.
The group is also busy collecting snack items that will be used to fill Christmas stockings during the assembly of holiday care packages for soldiers:
The Dalles GHC Chapter Troop Holiday Box Packing - 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18, in the armory, 713 Webber Street in The Dalles.
The Hood River Chapter Troop Holiday Box Packing - 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov 24, WAAAM, off Tucker Road in Hood River.
Anyone wanting to donate candy and individually-packaged nuts, cookies, crackers and other treats may drop them at:
The Dalles National Guard Armory from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays
WAAAM - The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum off Tucker Road in Hood River - Open 7 days a week from 9AM to 5PM
Windermere Glenn Taylor Realtors - Bingen, Washington - Monday through Friday, 9AM to 5PM
Cochenour said GHC is facing its biggest challenge yet to provide boxes each month for 130 Guard members from The Dalles and 35 from the Hood River Armory. He said the group is determined to succeed with the mission and volunteers will be making the rounds of businesses and service organization to ask for financial and/or material contributions.
"It's going to be very expensive to send these boxes each month but that is not going to hold us back because this is something that we all owe these soldiers," said Cochenour. "I realize that there are many groups during the holiday season that are looking for funds but supporting the people that are out there fighting for us should be our first priority."
GHC is holding two community rummage sales to help raise funds for the care packages:
The Dalles Oregon National Guard Armory from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20th
Valley Worship Center - Mt Hood, Oregon from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov 19th and Saturday, Nov 20th
People are invited to clean out their closets and drop off quality used merchandise to either location. Baked goods will also be sold at the event and complimentary hot apple cider and coffee will be served.
"We are going to have some real bargains and all of the money goes to a good cause so mark your calendars and plan to do a little shopping and help our troops at the same time," said Terri Hansen, GHC vice-president.
GHC is a nonprofit organization that provides care packages for anyone serving in the military from the Mid-Columbia region. The group run by volunteers has an account set up at CenterPointe Bank, which has branches in The Dalles and Hood River. Donations are tax deductible.
Proudly,
Your GHC
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