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Community gives back with special Thanksgiving boxes




Religious affairs specialists with the Fort Campbell Religious Support Office – Pvt. Justin Dixon, Spc. Josias Petit Frere, Sgt. Max Guyson, and Spc. Breanna Brooks – pack bags of donated food items, Nov. 20 at Liberty Chapel. The food bags were then boxed and wrapped to be picked up by Soldiers and their Families who were selected to receive the boxes for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Emily LaForme/Fort Campbell Courier)

Religious affairs specialists with the Fort Campbell Religious Support Office – Pvt. Justin Dixon, Spc. Josias Petit Frere, Sgt. Max Guyson, and Spc. Breanna Brooks – pack bags of donated food items, Nov. 20 at Liberty Chapel. The food bags were then boxed and wrapped to be picked up by Soldiers and their Families who were selected to receive the boxes for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Emily LaForme/Fort Campbell Courier)

Some Fort Campbell Soldiers received boxes filled with items to make the Thanksgiving holiday a little easier. 

The boxes were distributed Nov. 22 at Liberty Chapel courtesy of the combined efforts from the post’s religious programs.

“We recognize Soldiers and Families have a lot of demands placed on them,” said Chap. (Lt. Col.) Scott Nichols, deputy chief of Religious Support and director of Garrison Community Ministries. “The costs of putting on a Thanksgiving dinner can be expensive. Some Families are without their Soldiers who are deployed or downrange, so this is a small way the religious community here on Fort Campbell to help alleviate some of these things for our Soldiers. If we can do something to make things a little easier, then it’s always worthwhile.”

Soldiers were selected by leaders in their battalions to receive the boxes. 

“It’s a consolidated effort,” Nichols said. “Some organizations on post give to us, and others have their own ways of giving back. This is a targeted way of giving back to Soldiers and their Families who could use a blessing from someone.”

Specialist Julian Nunez, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Artillery Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and his children – Mathias, Abishai, and Zennetta – were selected to receive a box of Thanksgiving food and household supplies, Nov. 22 at Liberty Chapel. The items were donated by various organizations, grocery stores and the Fort Campbell Religious Support Center. (Emily LaForme/Fort Campbell Courier)

Specialist Julian Nunez, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Artillery Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and his children – Mathias, Abishai, and Zennetta – were selected to receive a box of Thanksgiving food and household supplies, Nov. 22 at Liberty Chapel. The items were donated by various organizations, grocery stores and the Fort Campbell Religious Support Center. (Emily LaForme/Fort Campbell Courier)

More than $1,500 was contributed and put toward giving back to the Soldiers and Families in the form of boxes filled with food, Commissary gift cards to supplement  the expense of purchasing a turkey or ham. Several turkeys also were donated by local grocery partners, like Walmart, Food Lion and the Commissary. 

“If we can do something to bless Families, it lets them know we here at the Religious Support Office are here for them and we love and care about them,” Nichols said. “We are thinking about them, they are important to us, and the Soldiers and their Families do some difficult things and we appreciate it.”

Specialist Coty Smith, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Artillery Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), was one of more than 400 Soldiers who were selected to receive the boxes.

 

 

“It feels very good to be supported by the community,” Smith said. “I really appreciate it, it’s a big help, and we’ve had to deal with a lot of things. The best thing about this community is how tight-knit it is, it’s not every man for himself, everyone really helps out each other.”

Sergeant First Class Dennis Volz, Fort Campbell Religious Support Office noncommissioned officer in charge, has been helping to put together the Thanksgiving event for several years.

“There are many different worship programs here on post,” Volz said. “The worship services here on post are for Soldiers, and the people who attend are Soldiers. This is a way to reach back into the community and give back to our neighbors and fellow Soldiers.”

A team of religious affairs specialists were on hand during the distribution day to help Soldiers and Families pick up their Thanksgiving boxes. Some also delivered boxes to battalions across post throughout the day.

“It feels nice to help others and it feels even better that it’s other Soldiers in the community,” said Sgt. Max Guyson, religious affairs specialist with the Fort Campbell Religious Support Office. “This is the time of year when money is tighter and there are so many other expenses and this is our small way of helping to alleviate those costs through giving.”

There are food pantries located within the chapels on Fort Campbell year-round where Soldiers and Families can access food at their discretion if they need extra help. Chaplains also refer Soldiers and Families for support and donations if there is a need. Donations are accepted year-round and can be dropped off at the Religious Support Office located at Liberty Chapel, 3111 Bastogne Ave.

“Anyone can come in and donate,” said Spc. Breanna Brooks, religious affairs specialist with the Fort Campbell Religious Support Office. “We have people come in weekly who are moving or have a lot of food and want to donate it to us to give back. We don’t just take food items, we also take select toiletries and diapers as well.”

Congregations on post also take up designated offerings throughout the year for specific causes or upcoming holidays to give back to the Fort Campbell community in targeted ways.

“If you are reading about this and you feel like there is someone on Fort Campbell who needs extra help as well, don’t be afraid to reach out,” Guyson said. “We are trying to reach as many people as possible.”

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