Gathering kindness for Operation Christmas Card

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - The boxes are being filled, but the goal of 500 care packages to active duty soldiers cannot be achieved without the help of others.

500 care packages per year is the goal of Char Swalberg, organizer and creator of “Operation Christmas Card,” a campaign that started when she sent her active duty military son a Christmas care package years ago, and he asked if she could send a couple more for a few of the soldiers who had no hopes of being remembered on Christmas.

With the heart of a soldier’s mom, Swalberg couldn’t resist. And the list grew.

With the goal of 500, she gets closer to reaching the goal each year. In 2019, 323 care packages were shipped to soldiers. This year she really hopes she’ll reach the 500, because, she said, “the list is longer than that now.”

First, she needs donations, things like candy, baby wipes, peanut butter, deodorant, toothbrushes, and jerky. Swalberg said soldiers love getting jerky. She said the big donation of jerky she usually gets will not be available in 2020 due to COVID-19. She mentioned it on social media, and one donor stepped up.

The employees of Custer Public Power in Broken Bow saw Swalberg’s need and conducted a “jerky drive.” Late last week, a big box of jerky was delivered.

The undertaking of Operation Christmas Card is no small task. Collecting, packaging and at almost twenty dollars per box for mailing (that’s nearly $10,000 in postage), Char says she can use all the help she can get.

If you would like to sponsor a care package (or more than one) you can mail a check or money order to:

Operation Christmas Card

920 West 3rd Street

North Platte, NE 69103

or donate via PayPal link: https://www.paypal.me/operationxmascard

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