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December 29, 2007
Texas Town Plays Santa For Kunsan Air Base Troops
Texas town plays Santa for Kunsan troops
Servicemembers at Kunsan Air Base awoke Christmas morning to find gifts left not by Santa, but by the people of Lubbock, Texas.
Volunteers from the city made, filled and shipped about 3,000 Christmas stockings for the airmen and soldiers in an effort to spread holiday cheer.
Spearheaded by the mother of a Kunsan-based Air Force officer, the donation began as a church project then ballooned into something much larger.
“The amazing thing about this project is that after hearing about it, so many people wanted to become a part of it,” project coordinator Dona Nussbaum said during a phone interview Thursday.
She said the project began as part of Westminster Presbyterian Church’s missionary outreach program, but businesses and people statewide quickly became involved.
One business donated 100 yards of denim. Another, she said, donated 100 yards of felt.
Others donated candy, promotional items, compact discs and sundry items. Local schools and World War II veterans made Christmas cards.
Lubbock mayor David Miller and Congressman Randy Neugebauer also sent letters to be included in the stockings.
“Once it started getting that big it’s hard to say how many people were involved or how much it costs,” Nussbaum said. “We had so many people praying for the project or donating candy, donating money or helping to make stockings.”
She said 300 people showed up at the Lubbock Volunteer Center on Nov. 17 to begin putting stockings together. After about 3½ weeks of work, Nussbaum said, her group had 606 boxes ready to ship, for about $6,000 in postage.
The bulk of it was paid with donations after she gave an interview on a local radio station asking people to “adopt a box” by contributing $8.95 to buy a flat-rate box at the post office.
Nussbaum’s daughter, 1st Lt. Rachael Nussbaum, 8th Civil Engineering Squadron, hid the stockings in an empty dorm to keep them secret.
On Christmas Eve, she and 20 to 30 volunteers, including unit first sergeants and chief master sergeants, hung the stockings on dorm room doors.
The gifts were appreciated, she said.
"We’re really grateful to Lubbock for sending this stuff,” she said. “There are a lot of kids here that are away from home at Christmas for the first time. This lets them know that someone is thinking of them.”
Wild Thing's comment........
God bless America and the people that appreciate our troops and our awesome men and women in the service to our country.
Posted by Wild Thing at December 29, 2007 12:44 AM
Comments
This is the way America works at heart. Lubbock Texas is sometimes referred to as a barometer of America's true feelings about life and being American. You can bet these West Texans also included many prayers with those Christmas stockings.
Posted by: TomR at December 29, 2007 06:44 AM
"Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus!" Merry 12 Days of Christmas & The Feast of the 3 Kings!!
Baby Jesus sure celebrates one heck of a birthday party!!!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 29, 2007 06:54 AM
"That'll Be the Day" The town that gave the world Buddy Holley is still cranking out greatness. Thank you Lubbock.
Posted by: Jack at December 29, 2007 03:17 PM
WT - Thanks for sharing this. I missed it in the MSM.
Posted by: Les at December 29, 2007 07:25 PM
Tom that is so wonderful. I remember Lubbock, Texas. I miss a lot of the places I went to in Texas and especially living in Dallas, it was a wonderful city when I was there. And the people in Texas so friendly, I felt right at home right away.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 30, 2007 02:07 AM
Darth, ( big smile here) yes there is.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 30, 2007 02:09 AM
Jack great song, thanks.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 30, 2007 02:10 AM
Les I am glad you are here.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 30, 2007 02:10 AM
