Care Packages and Letters

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – 21st Century Partnership showing their Air Force support by encouraging the community to create packages for deployed military members.

The organization is kicking off the fall season with their annual Care Packages and Letters Campaign. According to Executive Assistant Debra Cox, last year they collected 423 care packages and 1,000 letters.

This year being the 30th anniversary of the organization, they created a life-sized travelling mailbox, and its goal is to collect 30,000 letters. Cox said they not only want to give a letter to deployed airmen but everyone at Robins Air Force Base which, according to Cox, is approximately 24,000 people.

Anyone can write a letter or create a care package. Cox said the care packages must contain travel-sized items like lotion, dental floss, lens cleaning cloths, socks, gloves, warm hats, foot powder and Q-tips.

The package can also include prepackaged food like nuts, trail mix, hard candies, snack packs, slim jims, cookies and ramen. Cox also added the packages can contain fun items such as crossword puzzles, decks of cards and small nerf balls.

“Think about the airmen, they’re typically away from their families then you have the deployed airmen that are overseas away from their families, so we want something that’s going to make them laugh and bring them some joy for that time,” said Cox.

Cox also encourages people to include other fun items in their packages, like thermoses with their names on them or a t-shirt and baseball caps. The only items not accepted are chocolate and homemade goods.

After writing a letter, creating a package or artwork, people can drop them off at the mailbox which will be located at the Cary W. Martin Center at the W3 entrance from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The mailbox will be on that location on Sept. 14 and Oct.5.

Cox also shares the organization will be doing frequent posts on social media to notify people on where the mailbox is located that day. She said there will also be other mailboxes at multiple locations in the community who are supporting the organization and campaign.

Cox said the organization doesn’t know where the packages go due to safety reasons. The organization will deliver the items to Robins Air Force Base.

Cox shares back in 1993 the base was on a Base Realignment and Closure list, marking the beginning of 21st Century Partnership which protects the base and helped it stay in Warner Robins.

“30 years later we are still standing beside them, and we want to show our love and appreciation to those deployed military members, to those young airmen to encourage them and to say hey we appreciate you. We really appreciate you fighting for our freedoms, and we are so thankful to all individuals out at Robins Air Force Base for keeping this strong economic engine here in Warner Robins,” said Cox.

The community is also encouraged to drop off items at 21st Century Partnership at 804 Park Drive.

The deadline to drop off care packages, letters and artwork is on Oct. 30.

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