Cleveland area community sends stacks of stockings to Youngstown

by Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr.
910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office

12/2/2014 - YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Three van loads of yuletide cheer, courtesy of the USO of Northern Ohio and the citizenry of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, arrived here Nov. 26.

For the past eight years, civic organizations in the Youngstown area have rallied to collect donations to fill stockings for U.S. military members serving in combat zones overseas

"This is awesome," said Bruce Billie, Trumbull and Mahoning Counties coordinator for the USO of Northern Ohio. "It's another example of people getting together to help our serving military members."

Billie said the service organization's effort shifted focus a little closer to home as the numbers of U.S. Servicemembers deployed to combat locations has dropped within the past year.

"The USO is working to connect communities with our military serving here locally by providing services and morale building activities," he said.

More than 950 stockings brimming with goodies, holiday greeting cards, food stuffs and more were unpacked at the air reserve station fitness center to be passed out later to the Air Force, Marine and Navy reservists at upcoming holiday festivities. Billie said some of the donated gifts would be given to other military units currently serving in Northeast Ohio during the holiday season.

In short order, a group of Citizen Airmen and Department of Defense civilians did their best impressions of a team of the North Pole's finest and placed the special provisions into storage to await delivery.

Col. Kevin Riley, 910th Mission Group commander, accepted a meticulously-prepared package, symbolic of the entire holiday treasure trove, from Billie.

"We are so grateful for this," the colonel said, smiling. "You can look at each one of these stockings and see the time, care and gratitude poured into every one."

Riley said this outpouring represents the backing today's military receives from countless numbers of people living in this part of the country. He also said it means something special those who choose to serve in America's Armed Forces.

"It's an honor to serve," Riley said. "But, we love and appreciate the support."