PRESS - KYTX CBS 19 Tyler, TX 12.9.14

A Military Christmas

Posted: Dec 09, 2014

By Kevin Boyce

MT. PLEASANT (KYTX) - In just 18 days many of us will be sitting around the Christmas Tree opening our gifts.

A handful of military moms are making sure the thousands of East Texas soldiers overseas will be able to do the same thing, packing hundreds of boxes with candy, cards, food, and small gifts.

These boxes will be headed out Monday morning for several military bases across the world.

The care packages are being put together by the group "Ministering our Military" - M.O.M. for short.

Creator Kellye Cooper says it helps the moms of these soldiers cope with not having their children home.

"They have something to open that was packed by the community and then cards that say how much they are loved, and how much it is appreciated what they're doing.

M.O.M. is an organization that brings moms of military personell together for emotional support.

The group was started in mount pleasant but has members reaching as far south as smith county.

Cooper started the group after her son enlisted in the military.

"It gives us an outlet to reach out to each other. If we have something going on, we can call someone that understands."

The group of moms gathered the community together to help pack and pay for these care packages.

East Texas schools and volunteers wrote the cards, East Texas businesses paid for the postage, and military families helped pack the items together.

Cooper says the community effort is the only way all of these boxes would make it overseas. Hopefully, it makes christmas a little nicer for those serving our country

"Our goal is just to support them, and be a source of uplifting spirit."

More than 200 care packages will be mailed. If you're planning on sending a Christmas card or package to a troop, your time is running out. To have it there by Christmas, it needs to be in the mail by December 17.