Care packages for Christmas

BARSTOW• Instant coffee, hot rod magazines, and chapstick are just a few of the items that are packed in boxes and shipped over to soldiers by a small group of dedicated volunteers in Barstow.

Five years ago former Barstow Community Hospital employee Rene Wagner started Operation Caring Hearts, a non-profit organization that sends care packages out to soldiers at Camp Liberty in Iraq. The volunteers ship packages overseas every few months.

Duane Bates, spokesman for Caring Hearts, feels a close tie with the soldiers on the front line.

“It’s an honor to do this,” he said. “It is an honor to be the representative of such a great thing.”

Bates’ friend John Jackalone, was injured while serving in the Vietnam War.

“When John was injured, it hit home. I felt that I needed to help start this program to offer help to the soldiers.” Bates said.

Operation Caring Hearts is not a one-day-out-of-the-year type of non-profit organization. Throughout the year, the members plan to hold fundraisers. They have dispersed collection boxes, which list the most often requested items to be sent to the unit at Camp Liberty. They will be holding a bake sale and car wash Saturday to raise money.

Thursday night they all met at the cafeteria of Barstow Community Hospital. The six volunteers, including first-timers Angela Osburn and her two young girls, were carrying bags upon bags of the items the soldiers requested. Osburn’s husband had served in Iraq before.

One hundred boxes were filled with crayons, hair conditioner, coffee mugs and more. All of the items were donated to the organization over the past few months.  Christmas stockings stuffed with candy and cards also will be included this time. They were laid out across a few tables inside the hospital’s cafeteria Thursday night. All of the members and volunteers gathered around and form an assembly line.

“We are sending these ones out a little early, to make sure they arrive before Christmas,” President Ann Ferrel said.