Willow Glen Resident

Community

DeMaria's Operation Care and Comfort attracts praise from Defense Department

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

When Willow Glen resident Julie DeMaria held her first event to put together care packages for the troops overseas, she thought it would be a short-term project. Five years later she is still at it.

DeMaria began sending care packages in March 2003 under a project she named Operation Yellow Ribbon. As the donations and community interest grew, the American Red Cross Santa Clara Valley chapter adopted the program, and it became Operation Care and Comfort.

DeMaria's efforts were recently recognized by former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

DeMaria traveled to Washington, D.C., where Rumsfeld on Dec. 13 thanked several groups--including Operation Care and Comfort--at the Pentagon, during the America Supports You Community Group Summit. The honorees also received a tour of the White House.

This was DeMaria's second invitation. In 2006, she was invited to attend the event, but she was unable due to a scheduling conflict.

"We really appreciate being invited," DeMaria says.

DeMaria liked seeing what other organizations around the country did to support the troops.

"Some baked cookies, and others sewed cool neckties," she says.

Some of the groups had developed more aggressive programs that retrofitted or rebuilt homes for troops coming back with disabilities, she says.

The amount of sacrifice the servicemen and women make is something DeMaria appreciates and understands.

Louis Swan, DeMaria's father, served in World War II and the Korea and Vietnam wars.

"It's important to me because I'm an army brat," DeMaria says. "This was my way of serving my country."

The organization's first meeting to assemble care packages took place on Swan's birthday, a year after his death.

"I just want to continue supporting those who are making these sacrifices for us," DeMaria says. "The troops are so grateful because they don't expect it. It's nice to support them for a change."

Volunteers came together on Jan. 21 to help assemble and package 7,500 pounds of goods, which equated to 175 boxes that will be shipped overseas.

One longtime volunteer, Wendy Alvear, says she helps because it is the right thing to do.

Alvear's son, Steven, was in Iraq for a year as an U.S. Marine. Someone told her to put her son's name on a list to receive a care package while stationed overseas, and she did.

"I thought he might get a small box on occasion, but his unit receives three large boxes a month," Alvear says.

Her son has since returned home, and her second son, Jeremy, who is serving in the Army, is due to return this year.

"My son would tell me that when he would return to base, there were boxes waiting for them," Alvear says. "A lot of these kids had a rough day, and knowing that someone across the world thought of them made it better."

Another longtime volunteer and mother of a Marine, Linda Toyota says the care packages help boost moral for the troops, as well as serve notice that the troops have not been forgotten.

"Some of the kids out there don't have family sending them anything," she says. "I will not stop volunteering until all the kids come home."

Care packages include such hygiene items as hotel toiletries, lip balm, toothbrushes and toothpaste as well as stationery, stickers, socks and snacks. DeMaria, however, says handwritten letters and cards are what troops look forward to the most. "It's a touch of home."

Assembly events are held monthly at the American Legion Post 318, 1504 Minnesota Ave., around 10 a.m. Children 5 and older are welcome.

For more information, visit www.careandcomfort.com. or contact Julie DeMaria at 408.373.8635 or troopsupport@ comcast.net.