On Friday, November 17th, the Military Missions In Action (MMIA) group received 126 shoe boxes from students and staff of St. Andrews University to be shipped off as Christmas gifts to soldiers in active duty.
All of the equestrian team in addition to their coach and staff were able to donate funds and time to fill and prepare the boxes for troops. Each box included a handmade note to express appreciation to soldiers who are serving overseas.
“It’s a little personal touch,” Coach Carla Wennberg said. “It was heartfelt and cool to watch. It taught a greater lesson of what’s important in life.”
About seventy to eighty students helped with the shoeboxes.
“This is the best life lesson,” Wennberg said. “They all contributed somehow.”
Even students who did not have much to give were willing to donate all that they had for deployed troops.
“That’s how important it was to do it,” Wennberg said.
After the boxes were packed, they were loaded into a horse trailer to bring to the MMIA location.
This is the third year that St. Andrews has worked with MMIA to send packages overseas.
“We try to get them there for Christmas,” MMIA member Sandi Carl said.
For those who have a loved one in active duty overseas and would like to have him/her receive a package, contact Sandi Carl at (910) 673-7711.
Those who helped to deliver the boxes at MMIA included Coach Carla Wennberg, Coach Lindsey Trockenbrot, Bill Carl, Sandi Carl, Carina Provencher, Nancy Wennberg, Bobbi Brech, Brian Brech, and Scott Wennberg.
