There’s something quietly powerful about watching a community come together around a single mission: reminding people thousands of miles away that they’re not forgotten. Last Saturday at the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall, that mission took physical form—325 carefully packed boxes filled with everything from beef jerky to handwritten letters from Sacramento schoolchildren, all bound for U.S. troops deployed overseas.
Sacramento Blue Star Moms, the local chapter founded in 2005, orchestrated the effort with help from dozens of community volunteers. What started as donations collected during KCRA 3 and the American Red Cross’Operation Care Package event on June 5 at the Roseville Auto Mall transformed into something tangible: shampoo, conditioner, dental kits, puzzle books, small toys, and yes—the items that matter most when you’re homesick thousands of miles away. The packages are designed to sustain a deployed service member for up to three days, but their real value goes far deeper than calories and hygiene products.
Care package coordinator Karla Sedgwick knows what makes these boxes land like a punch to the heart. It’s not the stuff. It’s the letters.“Some of the soldiers will take the letters from the kids and stick them in their boots when they go out in the field,”Sedgwick said.“It just makes them feel loved and appreciated.”There’s a rawness to that detail—the idea of a soldier carrying a child’s handwritten note into dangerous terrain, letting those words ground them when everything else feels unreal.
What’s striking is how this effort bridges generations. Vietnam veteran Fred Keillor attended the packing party and reflected on his own experience serving overseas, when care packages were far less common.“For the guys who are serving overseas, this is fantastic,”he said.“I just love what the country is doing for our veterans today.”First-time volunteer Kareena Hijjawi participated because her grandfather served in the military. Another mom brought Girl Scout cookies—understanding intuitively that small comforts matter immensely when you’re cut off from home.
Sacramento Blue Star Moms sends roughly 1,500 care packages annually, and they’re not slowing down. The next packing event is scheduled for November, with the organization accepting donations and financial contributions year-round. The U.S. Postal Service picked up all 325 boxes Saturday, ready for their journey. It’s a reminder that supporting our troops doesn’t require grand gestures—just community showing up, packing boxes, and saying: we see you, we remember you, you matter.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
