Colorfully wrapped gifts bound for the Veterans Memorial Home fill the table inside the VFW Post 1963 headquarters in Sea Isle City.
Many are elderly, some are struggling with illness or disabilities and others have only a few or no family members.
But the hundreds of residents at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Vineland are being remembered and cherished this holiday season for their military service.
Sixty boxes of colorfully wrapped gifts were delivered to the Memorial Home on Friday during the fifth annual “Christmas Caravan” by VFW Post 1963 and its Auxiliary in Sea Isle City.
Peggy Moore, the Auxiliary president, said the Christmas gifts represented $14,000 in donations – $4,000 more than last year – as a gesture of love and appreciation to the residents in the Memorial Home.
“This community is more gracious and more giving,” Moore said of the increase in donations this year. “For a small community, this community gives and gives and gives.”
VFW Post 1963 Auxiliary President Peggy Moore is joined by Santa, played by her husband, Terry Moore.The gifts were loaded into a large box truck with the words “Merry Christmas” written on the doors and delivered to the Memorial Home as part of a caravan of cars from Sea Isle given a police escort.
Post 1963 Commander Joe McLenaghan loaded box after box of gifts into the truck after they were carried outside the VFW headquarters by local residents taking part in the caravan.
“Phenomenal,” McLenaghan said. “I look out at all of the people here and it is one of the best feelings you can have. It’s tremendous.”
McLenaghan drove the delivery truck to Vineland and was accompanied by Mayor Leonard Desiderio sitting in the passenger seat.
Desiderio praised the members of Post 1963 and the Auxiliary for their efforts to recognize the sacrifices and bravery of so many veterans who have served their country.
“This is fabulous,” he said. “What you’re doing is so great, especially at this time of year. You just never cease to amaze me.”
VFW Post 1963 Commander Joe McLenaghan gets some help from Frosty the Snowman while loading the gifts into a truck.Pastor Melissa Doyle-Waid, of the United Methodist Church in Sea Isle, gave a blessing before the caravan hit the road. She said the gifts reflected the love of the community and would help the residents at the Memorial Home feel “valued and remembered.”
Members of the VFW Auxiliary spent about a half hour Monday wrapping the gifts, Moore said.
“We have 60 boxes and each one is filled to the rim,” she said.
The gifts were for both men and women at the Memorial Home. Among the donations were 11 TVs. Gifts also included T-shirts, sweatpants, sweatshirts, slippers and cardigan sweaters.
There were also donations of body wash, shaving cream and other toiletries. “Tons” of gift cards and batteries were also donated, Moore said.
Previously, Post 1963 and the Auxiliary would bring 15 to 20 veterans from the Memorial Home to Sea Isle for a Christmas celebration. But five years ago, they started the Christmas Caravan so that all of the veterans at the Memorial Home would receive holiday gifts.
“They just love seeing us,” Moore said of the veterans’ reaction when the caravan arrives at the Memorial Home. “They’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, look at all of the things you brought us.’”
Boxes containing Christmas presents are carried down a ramp at the VFW headquarters.
Members of the "Christmas Caravan" pose for a group photo inside the VFW headquarters before traveling to Vineland.
Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio is greeted by Santa.
Members of the VFW Auxiliary hold signs expressing holiday wishes to the veterans.
