WION Radio and its many partners hosted Treasures for Troops December 1st-5th collecting items at remotes from 5 locations in Ionia County. WION’s community partners included Berger Motor Sales providing a truck with WIFI, the Ionia County Shopper’s Guide and Printing & Office Essentials for their printing and publicity, Blue Star Mothers and the Montcalm-Ionia Medical Reserve Corps providing volunteers, and four host locations collecting items to pack in care packages. WION's listeners donated over 3 pickup trucks' full of items “most wanted” by our nation's deployed servicemen and women. By partnering for broadcasts in Ionia, Muir, Lake Odessa, and Belding, and with donations from all parts of Ionia County, WION's listeners contributed to a RECORD number of care packages being sent out this year!
WION drove the Motor Trend Truck of the year, a “connected” 2015 Chevrolet Colorado from Berger Motor Sales to each location, providing transportation of goods, and communications/station control via wifi! Blue Star Mothers also collected “Loot in the Boot!” to pay for shipping the boxes, with cash donations totaling $1187! At the end of the event, WION's listeners had contributed enough items for the Blue Star Mothers Chapter 188 to prepare, package and mail 93 large priority-mail boxes to servicemen and women via the Lakeview, MI Post Office! Donations continued by patrons of the Post Office on mailing day where another $200 was donated to cover the over $1,200 shipping costs.
Blue Star Mothers pack care packages, (“Boxes of Love”) throughout the year to support their military sons and daughters. Each time they pack and send, an average of 10-15 boxes are mailed. Items included may seem ordinary to civilians, but are often hard to come by for deployed soldiers. Each box carries a variety of items including food, clothing, games, utility items, and personal care items. Meanwhile, each Mom has a “trademark” way of packing their boxes, like using small candies like packing peanuts to make sure no space is wasted between items. The boxes of love that were sent out with WION's Treasures for Troops also contained lots of Christmas Cards that were decorated at elementary schools, boy scouts, girls scouts, listeners, and volunteers assisting on packing day.
From WION Radio in Ionia, a huge thank you goes to: Berger Motor Sales, The Ionia County Shoppers' Guide, The Muir Village Market, Carl's Market of Lake Odessa, Millie's Restaurant in Belding, the Lamplight Grill and our donors! Once again, you've proven that small-town radio makes a difference!
For more information contact: Jim Carlyle, Owner/Manager WION Radio at 616-527-9466 or office@i1430.com
WION drove the Motor Trend Truck of the year, a “connected” 2015 Chevrolet Colorado from Berger Motor Sales to each location, providing transportation of goods, and communications/station control via wifi! Blue Star Mothers also collected “Loot in the Boot!” to pay for shipping the boxes, with cash donations totaling $1187! At the end of the event, WION's listeners had contributed enough items for the Blue Star Mothers Chapter 188 to prepare, package and mail 93 large priority-mail boxes to servicemen and women via the Lakeview, MI Post Office! Donations continued by patrons of the Post Office on mailing day where another $200 was donated to cover the over $1,200 shipping costs.
Blue Star Mothers pack care packages, (“Boxes of Love”) throughout the year to support their military sons and daughters. Each time they pack and send, an average of 10-15 boxes are mailed. Items included may seem ordinary to civilians, but are often hard to come by for deployed soldiers. Each box carries a variety of items including food, clothing, games, utility items, and personal care items. Meanwhile, each Mom has a “trademark” way of packing their boxes, like using small candies like packing peanuts to make sure no space is wasted between items. The boxes of love that were sent out with WION's Treasures for Troops also contained lots of Christmas Cards that were decorated at elementary schools, boy scouts, girls scouts, listeners, and volunteers assisting on packing day.
From WION Radio in Ionia, a huge thank you goes to: Berger Motor Sales, The Ionia County Shoppers' Guide, The Muir Village Market, Carl's Market of Lake Odessa, Millie's Restaurant in Belding, the Lamplight Grill and our donors! Once again, you've proven that small-town radio makes a difference!
For more information contact: Jim Carlyle, Owner/Manager WION Radio at 616-527-9466 or office@i1430.com
