Volunteers pack gifts for deployed troops Published Dec. 2, 2011 By Army Sgt. Joseph K. VonNida Colorado National Guard Public Affairs CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- The Colorado National Guard Family Programs office joined dozens of volunteers to assemble holiday packages for deployed servicemembers in one massive team effort today at the CONG state headquarters. In addition to CONG Soldiers and Airmen, volunteers for the event included members of the Buckley Field Young Marines, the 460th Space Wing, Hearts Across the Miles and other civilian volunteers. Items in the packages include snacks, sweets, toiletry items, Starbucks coffee, books, playing cards and letters from children. The items were donated by patrons of auto dealerships operating from Fort Collis to Pueblo, Colo., and then delivered by dealership volunteers. The dealership also presented a check for $5,000 to Hearts Across the Miles to cover the cost of shipping the packages to Afghanistan. According to CONG Family Programs Director Charlene Shields, the program was established locally nearly 10 years ago. More photos from this event are available in Flickr.