Operation happy holidays

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dillon White
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE,Mont., --  Volunteers from Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Great Falls community filled and mailed 400 care packages at the traffic management office here Dec. 1. 

To prepare for Operation Happy Holidays, volunteers baked approximately 2,560 dozen cookies at the VFW Post 1087 in Great Falls Nov. 26 to 30. 

Volunteers also included family members of deployed servicemen and women as well as servicemembers who had previously received an appreciated care package while deployed. 

"We do it to let the troops know they are remembered and we care about them," said Steve Kubick, founder of Operation Happy Holidays. "This is our ninth year. Each year we shut the [kitchen] lights off thinking it's the last year, but [our servicemembers] keep fighting." 

About three dozen chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodle and oatmeal raisin cookies were added to each box, along with water bottles donated by the Health and Wellness Center that volunteers filled with candy and dental hygiene kits donated by the 341st Medical Operations Squadron Dental Clinic. 

Other items included in the packages were Frisbees, pens, paper, wetnaps, bathroom tissue, miniature flashlights, beef jerky, hot cocoa and calling cards. 

Volunteers packaged cookies and filled boxes in a care-package assembly line before the boxes were taped shut and labeled for mailing. 

"My dad is going to like the jerky the best," said 6-year-old Little Warrior McKenzie. 

Seasoning was also added to the packages to spice up the food troops receive overseas, Mr. Kubick said. 

"The care packages will be sent to deployed servicemembers from Montana," Mr. Kubick said. "The packages are mailed to anyone we hear of that is deployed from Montana. I want the troops to know Montanans appreciate the sacrifices they make, especially this time of year." 

The packages cost approximately $40 each including shipping, said Steve Grooms, CEO of 1st Liberty Federal Credit Union. 

"Each troop gets a box," Mr. Grooms said. "It's a lot of work, but not as much as our [servicemembers] are doing." 

Extra cookies were distributed to Airmen living in the dormitories here and more will be given to Airmen posting to the missile complex throughout the holidays.

To donate, contributions can be sent to Operation Happy Holidays at 1st Liberty Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 5002, Great Falls, MT, 59403.