Horse Plains VFW Post No. 3596 was transformed into Santa’s workshop on Monday as auxiliary members gathered to pack gift boxes for U.S. military troops stationed at bases throughout the United States and overseas.

Sending the care packages has been an annual event for the auxiliary for decades, said Meralise Nass, auxiliary treasurer and a member of the organization for 37 years.

“We pack all kinds of different items — pencils, Kleenex, candy, hygiene items, Christmas cards,” Nass said. “Somebody brought some jerky this year. It’s just items the guys and gals would like and need from home.”

About 20 boxes will be shipped out this year to various military bases; four of the care packages are destined to overseas troops. The auxiliary gathers names of soldiers from families in the Plains area. This year a family from Washington state whose son is in the military also will be getting a box to distribute to his fellow troops.

Each box costs about $17 to ship, so the auxiliary holds fundraisers throughout the year to cover the shipping costs. In October the auxiliary staged a community bazaar. In June the group sells hamburgers at Plains Days, and at a farmers market bazaar the auxiliary served lunch.

With 340 members, the auxiliary is one of the larger organizations in its district, Nass said.

For more information about the VFW organization, visit myvfw.org/montana.