Why not add a Coast Guard, Marine or Navy service member to your upcoming holiday gift list, suggests the military affairs committee of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce.
The gift would go toward providing $300 each to military personnel as part of the chamber’s fifth annual Home for the Holidays campaign, said committee chairman Jim Icenhour, who also chairs the James City County Board of Supervisors.
In 2021, the chamber and local military installations in Yorktown realized that many military members at the Coast Guard Training Center and the Naval Weapons Station — which are in the chamber’s service area — did not have sufficient funds to make a trip home during the holiday season.
A fundraising campaign began in 2022, and since then has been able to help send nearly 200 service members home for the holidays. But the number requesting assistance has risen every year, with 90 receiving help last year.
As of this week, the number of applicants for this holiday season had risen to over 150, Icenhour said, “so we’re going to need much more than the $27,000 raised last year to fulfill the requests.”
Individual or groups can make donations at various sponsorship levels: $100 will partially fund one service member; $300 will fund one service member; $600 will help two service members; and so on. Individual donations are requested in increments of $25.
The chamber and Icenhour often receive letters of thanks from service members.
“I extend my greatest appreciation and thank you for helping me through the holidays,” one note said. From another: “Thank you for your sincere gratitude and efforts to honor service members, like me … (Your) stipend made it possible for me to spend precious time with my loved ones this holiday season.”
One seaman wrote that the money allowed him “to see my wife and family this holiday season and I really appreciate it. Thank you!”
Online donations can be received through Nov. 28 at the chamber’s website at williamsburgchamber.com. Donations can also be mailed to Home for the Holidays, GWCC, 421 N. Boundary St., Williamsburg, VA 23285.
Wilford Kale, kalehouse@aol.com
