MOUNTAINTOP, Pa. -- Dozens of boxes filled with goodies are about to be shipped to military members for the holidays.
American Legion Post 781 Auxiliary Member Judy Buff is the brains behind the thoughtful gifts. She started mailing them out 20 years ago when she worked for the US Postal Service.
"It started off with maybe about 5,10 boxes and I did that for a couple of years and then it started to mushroom and it got bigger and bigger," Buff said.
As the number of boxes grew, she asked for help putting them together from American Legion Post 781 in Mountaintop. The members have been working with her for the last 15 years.
"She is our main cheerleader for this," American Legion Post 781 Commander Martine Columbo said. "If it wasn't for her and her husband, the 15 years would not have been that long."
The boxes are filled with donations from the community, and this year, the post has received a lot. They include things like easy-to-open, non-perishable food items and other necessities like socks and toiletries.
"They're over in Afghanistan," Columbo said. "Their families are here in the United States. They miss their families. A lot of the troops, they go out on recon, and they don't make it back for meal time. So, these are items that they can take with them and use out in the field."
"To get packages from people back home knowing that they are supported and loved and appreciated means an awful lot," Buff said.
The Legion will start sending out packages next week, but you can still donate supplies or money. If you would like to donate, just bring it to the Post at 1550 Henry Drive in Mountaintop.