Yokota's American Red Cross helps spread holiday cheer

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Members of the Yokota community gathered together to help Yokota's American Red Cross sort through thousands of letters for the Second Annual Holiday Mail for Heroes card-sorting event here Nov. 29.

Each year people from around the United States make holiday cards for servicemembers; the cards are then sent overseas for sorting and distribution.

Students from Yokota Middle School's National Junior Honor Society and other volunteers came together at the main chapel to sort more than 10,000 cards, which will be distributed all across the base.

Brittany Reynolds, the Red Cross assistant station manager and event coordinator, said that 4,500 of the cards will be placed in mail boxes to ensure that every resident at Yokota will be able to receive a holiday greeting from home.

All of the cards are donated from elementary schools, churches and even Veteran's Affairs Hospitals.

"I think is a fantastic way for the American people to say 'thank you' -- I think a lot of servicemembers don't hear 'thank you' nearly enough," said Miss Reynolds. "I think it's absolutely wonderful ... I still hear stories about people who got them last year and still have them hanging on their walls.  It's definitely a feel-good thing."

"I wanted to get involved with the community and I wanted to help out the American Red Cross because of all they do for us," said Airman 1st Class Shelby Summers, 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft, electrical and environmental specialist.

She continued that when she saw the stack of cards from all of the people who had written, she got a happy, tingly sensation inside -- knowing that all of the people who have written wanted to give back to the servicemembers because they were giving to their country.