For more than a decade Military Moms, an organization of parents with sons and daughters serving in the military, has sent Christmastime care packages from Lake Highlands to the neighborhood’s active soldiers. Last year, however, only three or four Lake Highlands residents were serving overseas during the holidays so they called off the annual care-package offering known as Salute the Troops, Military Moms founder Rhonda Russell says.
And while everyone was grateful that our men and women were, for the most part, not at war, the community missed those care-packages, the assembly and shipping of which had become a feel-good holiday ritual.
So this year, though there are ten or fewer Lake Highlands soldiers serving, Salute the Troops — which includes the collection of donated goods and gifts and a festive gathering of Russell and fellow military parents, Lake Highlands Exchange Club members, families and students — will resume.
Exchange Club member John Dean with Rhonda Russell and fellow mom Paula Tharp.
Military Moms this year aims to send packages not only to the Lake Highlands soldiers but also those serving alongside them, about 100 troops altogether, Russell says.
“These are the guys that support and serve with our guys and we want to recognize that,” says Russell, who started Military Moms when her own son was at war in the Middle East.
It wouldn’t be the first time Military Moms has done so. “We had one guy serving on a ship and we had packages for him and everyone on the ship actually dropped onto the ship from the air. We heard they were so thrilled. They were like, ‘Where is this Lake Highlands?’!”
On a related note, the most recent Lake Highlands Heroes poster, featuring the 66 men and women from Lake Highlands currently active in the military, is now available. Volunteers from the Lake Highlands Exchange Club will deliver the posters to local businesses.
To be a part of the 2013 Salute the Troops, donate items from this list before 3 p.m. Nov. 27 at:
The Store in Lake Highlands
Tee Hee Gifts
Dallas Media Center
Lake Highlands YMCA
The Lake Highlands Exchange Club and Military Moms also are seeking donations of postage for the packages — make out the check to Exchange Club with “postage” in the memo box.
To participate in the packing, be at the packing party at the Knights of Columbus on Shoreview Nov. 30 at 9 p.m.
