When Dawn Heisler and her friends started sending care packages to their loved ones serving overseas, they couldn’t have known that years later they’d be sending about 100 each month.
In late 2004, Heisler was sending goods to her grandson Trent, then a Marine serving in Iraq. Now, as head of military outreach nonprofit Heroes in Action, she’s sent thousands of packages to military members and helped out their families in other ways.
“It just multiplied,” said Heisler, who is retired from medical sales.
“We call our boxes hugs from home, just because it reminds [military personnel] of home and that somebody hasn’t forgotten them.”
Care packages include items like baby wipes, shaving cream, Gatorade, Fritos, magazines, cards and more.
“Of course, they get the Girl Scout cookies,” Heisler added.
“It gives you the comfort of home when you’re over there. You just can’t go down to the local store,” said volunteer Bill Batts, who served in the Gulf War. Each month, volunteers pack boxes that are sent to those serving. To receive care packages, a soldier or soldier’s loved one emails Heisler contact information, which is added to a list. The “heroes” receiving the packages also get recognized at heroesinaction.org.
“Once we take on a name, we support them the whole time they’re overseas,” Heisler said. Heroes in Action will often send extra boxes for the soldiers to share with their units. The care packages also include cards and letters from schoolchildren or those living in retirement homes.
“It makes [the soldiers] feel great. They know someone’s back home caring for them, praying for them, loving them, just awaiting their return,” said Leonard Lamb, who served in Iraq. Lamb, a veteran with disabilities, spends much of his time volunteering for Heroes in Action.
Lamb got involved with Heroes in Action about three and a half years ago.
“I’m the one [Heisler] calls. I do literally anything and everything,” he said. Heroes in Action also helps military families and veterans with miscellaneous tasks — from cleaning a soldier’s house while he or she is recovering from surgery to clearing branches from a yard to providing bus fare to a stranded soldier. Many volunteers, like Lamb, a builder, use their skills to help out.
“Remodels, plumbing, electrical, basically if there’s a need for it, we can find someone who will do it,” Lamb said.
Batts started volunteering for Heroes in Action about a year ago when nonprofit helped him get furniture after being homeless.
“It meant a lot to me,” said Batts, who now helps move furniture donations. “I’d do anything for [Heisler].”
Heisler is currently in the process of finding furniture for a military family with five children, who lost their home in a fire.
“Sometimes we can’t do everything because of the funds, but we try to do something and help,” Heisler said.
Those on the receiving end of Heroes in Action are thankful, added Heisler,whose grandson is now in college.
“We get a lot of letters just thanking us for caring, thanking us for sending their packages every month,” she said.
Snack/item donations are accepted at 5025 Glendale Ave., Toledo, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Furniture donations must be arranged by calling (419) 699-3439.
Checks can be sent to Heroes In Action Military Support Outreach, P.O. Box 352046, Toledo, OH 43635. To learn more, visit the website.
