Adopt A Troop presented backpacks full of gifts called Hero Packs to youngsters at a Yellow Ribbon program Saturday to prepare families for the upcoming deployment of the Montana Army National Guard’s 495th unit.

Along with the children’s presentation, the Yellow Ribbon event at the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell helped soldiers get their family affairs in order before leaving for training in November before deployment to Afghanistan.

Katie VanDeraa, who directs Adopt A Troop with her husband, Art, said the organization sends care packages to deployed soldiers as a ministry of Grace Baptist Church. She said people across the community joined together for this special project.

“Hero Packs serve as a tangible expression of support for military families from their communities,” VanDeraa said.

A wide spectrum of donated goods and services, including accountants, bakeries, banks, beauty shops, box stores, car dealers, churches, drug stores, gift shops, grocery stores, health-food stores, ice cream outlets, medical clinics, publishers, quilters, restaurants, soft drink distributors, storage unit businesses, the VFW and local citizens.

VanDeraa said she agreed to lead the project after attending a workshop held here last spring by Operation: Military Kids, a national group that works in collaboration with the U.S. Army. In Montana, the group has headquarters in Bozeman.

Since then, VanDeraa and other volunteers worked in partnership with that group, collecting contributions and assembling the backpacks. In July, Adopt A Troop held a silent auction and mini carnival to raise money for Hero Packs and awareness of deploying soldiers’ family sacrifices.

VanDeraa and her husband spent Friday assembling five groups of Hero Packs with help from volunteers from the local Boys and Girls Club and people associated with Operation: Military Kids.

“We geared packs for the ages receiving them,” she said.

All of the packs had a toy grizzly bear donated by Glacier Park Inc., with a copy of the Burden Bear Poem and a little quilt made by Flathead Quilters Guild members with cloth from Glacier Quilts.

They also got a “Huggee Miss You” soft figure in Army camouflage with a face where a child or teenager can attach a photo of their parent as a visual reminder of their loved one.

“Little kids can sleep with them when they miss them,”  VanDeraa said. “Sometimes they’ll have their doll sitting there when they’re doing their homework. So it’s also special for teenagers.”

Other items included journals, a picture frame with a memory box, Send Out Cards with gratitude journals, pens, communication-related school supplies, Tupperware patriotic tumblers and small age-appropriate toys and games.

“Nice folks on Facebook who are scrapbookers made scrapbooks for the teenagers,” she said. “They all donated papers, and stickers. One lady donated bindings and another lady bound them together. There are a lot of generous folks here in the valley.”  

VanDerra said the packs also contained age-appropriate books with bookmarks.

The volunteers also tucked in materials such as crayons  and colored pencils so the children and teenagers can create artwork to send to their parents. The youngsters also will find some special treats.

“Walgreens donated lollipops — those nice big round ones that are up by the cashier,” she said.

The Hero Pack idea originated with Operation: Military Kids. The website, operationmilitarykids.org, describes Hero Packs as a balanced collection of family support, communication tools and fun things with a letter of gratitude from a community member deemed the most important element.

 In the Flathead, VanDeraa gathered letters at the carnival and from members of Grace Baptist Church of Columbia Falls, Easthaven Baptist Church and The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country.  

“Some of them put a lot of thought into what the families go through,” she said.

According to VanDeraa, the children of National Guard and Reserve soldiers face special challenges when they become “suddenly military.” Unlike full-time military families, they live like everyone else except when their parent leaves for training one weekend a month and for two weeks in the summer.

“Deployment brings lots of changes,” she said.

Children experience many impacts such as a parent’s absence during their important events, having more household responsibilities or going to day care or to stay with relatives more often. They face the unknown about their parent’s safety.

Since these families live all over Montana, they don’t have the same support as regular military families who live on or near an installation. Hero Packs show the children of soldiers that the community appreciates their sacrifice.

“We want the kids to know they are not alone and that we are there to help,” VanDeraa said.

People interested in more information about Adopt A Troop may visit Grace Baptist Church’s website gbccfalls.com and click on the Adopt A Troop button.

Three Rivers Bank locations have an account called GBC Adopt A Troop for financial donations.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.