The local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers hosted a packaging day Friday in preparation for shipping 1,000 individual boxes to deployed U.S. service members around the world. Students from Dunkirk and Pine Valley assisted in the packaging at Fluvanna Community Church. P-J photo by Christopher Blakeslee

FLUVANNA – Blue Star Mothers teamed up with students from Dunkirk and Pine Valley schools at Fluvanna Community Church in preparation for shipping 1,000 care packages to service members deployed worldwide.

“We’re sending a record-breaking 1,000 packages to our deployed military service members,” said Kathy Collver, vice president Blue Star N.Y. 4., a local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America. “This is what Christmas is all about – giving to each other, joining together to spread a little love, a little cheer.”

According to bluestarmothers.org, the organization formed during World War II and is a private, national nonprofit organization that provides support for mothers of deployed military members. Now, the Blue Star Mothers Congressional Charter includes grandmothers, adoptive mothers, foster mothers, and female legal guardians. It also expands membership to mothers whose children have served more recently by removing references to specific conflicts and membership to eligible mothers living outside of the U.S.

Area school students volunteered their time Friday at Fluvanna Community Church to help with the packaging.

“This is a small way we can give back to the members of our military,” said Murel Zollinger, senior class president at Pine Valley Central School. “It’s an honor to serve those who serve us.”

“A few of the students who are here with us today have parents and family members who are serving,” said Taylor Kassman, an eighth-grade teacher and student council adviser with Dunkirk Secondary School. “We also have several of our teachers and admin at Dunkirk Secondary School who are tied to the military as well so this is really important to the kid, but also to our school district.”

However, the real hope in the drive is that the military service member on the other side of the delivery realizes that they have a nation who not only loves them, but supports them as well.

“We really hope that when the soldier or sailor opens their package that they don’t just see a box full of goodies,” Collver said. “It’s an expression of our love and gratitude for them.”