Wyoming soldiers to receive a ‘little touch of home’ at Christmas

CASPER (WNE) — Some Wyoming soldiers deployed in the Middle East will soon receive a Christmas care package. HERO Outdoors, a nonprofit that supports veterans, is sending packages filled with items donated from the community to 50 deployed service members.

Josey Kienzle, who helped package the boxes on Thursday, described them as “just a little touch of home.”

The community came together to provide Wyoming-made items in just a few days, according to Frank Grillo, founder of HERO Outdoors.

Students from Natrona County elementary schools wrote cards. Donells Candies donated bags of caramel popcorn. Two local authors, Ed Kienzle and Johanna Wickman, donated copies of their books. Liz Batton crocheted soap holders and pocket hugs — little figures that remind the soldiers that they are cared for.

The boxes included hand-painted cards from Sara Garland. Sharon Hinkle, an Army mom, provided leather ornaments for each box. The soldiers are also receiving wood ornaments from Daima Quick. Grillo turned donated elk meat into jerky. The elk came from various Casper community members.

This holiday deed hits close to home for Grillo, who is a veteran. Deployed overseas three times, he never received a Christmas package.

The cost of shipping the packages has been almost completely covered from monetary donations from Walmart and other community members.

The soldiers receiving the packages are part of the Wyoming National Guard. The soldiers come from various parts of the state, but many are Casper natives.

This story was published on December 7, 2024.