We’ve told you about our Thankful Thursdays before, but while writing notes went a long way to getting us on Santa’s Good List and on our way to bettering ourselves, there’s still the matter of actually getting out there and helping someone out with our hands and feet; and in this case, tank tops and cardboard boxes.
Thus, the Wright Brothers staff decided to take our talents to Rancho Penasquitos, San Diego — and spend an afternoon working with the wonderful people of Operation Courage is Beautiful.
Operation Courage is Beautiful is a volunteer non-profit organization based out of San Diego that develops and sends care packages for only women in the military. Per the OCIB website, there are currently around 200,000 women on active duty. Since 2009, the organization has shipped out nearly 5 tons of products to help out. Their work is entirely subsidized by donations (which you can help out with here).
Every box contained reading materials like magazines or books, feminine hygiene and oral care products like hand cream, face wash, sunscreen, lip gloss, make-up, etc. They also included quite a few thank-you notes.
So, when the Wright Brothers crew descended on our host’s garage and came face-to-face with heaps of boxes containing donation materials, we knew what to expect (but boy, was it hot). Our job was to make the care packages by hand, make sure they had all the supplies necessary, and get them ready to be mailed off.
After some brief introductions and jokes about fainting due to the weather, we dug in. I consider myself handy with packaging tape, but after two more of our staff started to make boxes quicker and quicker, I realized that I was but a white belt to their triple-degree packaging black belts. Instead, while I spent my time sorting through the magazines and books, the packages flew around our tables and collected hygiene products and notes almost by themselves.
Whenever we needed a break, we took out construction paper and markers and scribbled thank-you notes to the troops. Some were funny, some tried to be funny, some were thankfully unfunny, but all were respectful and genuine. We tossed them in along with other thank-you notes from who-knows-where, but ours stood out. Our recipients will definitely know that we take Thankful Thursday seriously, and that we truly appreciate every single servicewoman.
Even after several mishaps with bees and some good old dry heat, we managed to get all of our boxes ready in a mere two hours. In no time at all, OCIB had a fresh trunk full of care packages to send out to our troops. All it cost us was a neck sunburn from yours truly.
Take it from us: consider giving OCIB a donation, they are in great need of mailing funds, or volunteer your time to help them pack and send care packages out. They do amazing work for even more amazing women.
Categorized in: Runway Blog
