Organization ships ‘love’ to military members

By Kara Duffy | gargoyle@flagler.edu
On Saturday September 12, military families all throughout the state of Florida came to the St. Augustine Elks Lodge post to contribute to Molly’s Adopt a Sailor, We Ship Love division. With people writing cards, assembling the boxes, separating the donations and packing boxes, people gathered to show their support of those who are overseas.

Marybeth Geronimo, a navy mom, hosted the packing party in  St. Augustine to gather Halloween-themed care packages to send to the sailors of the Chung Hoon. The wall was lined with boxes filled with items from home. These items will be sent out by the end of the month, Geronimo said.

“The smiles on the sailors’ faces are worth every ounce of the effort,” she said.

Molly’s Adopt a Sailor project is a non-profit organization that began three years ago online. When one sailor mom found out that some military members over seas have never received a package, she was inspired to begin the project, the website said. The organization has grown from one mother to an organization that recently won their second consecutive Pepsi Refresh contest, the website said.

St. Augustine locals came out to support the cause by donating food, hygiene products, cards and letters.

However, all the time and effort–as well as donations–that are put toward the packages are nothing compared to reactions of the members who receive the caring thoughts and items, Geronimo said.

“We are at 93 boxes right now, and the donations are still trickling in,” she said.

There are divisions to the Molly’s project, which are the We Ship Love and We Stich Love. The project chooses a different military branch to adopt and send care packages to each month.