Gaining from giving

Photo By Master Sgt. Ryan Matson | U.S. Army Sgt. Jacob Wilson, a heavy construction supervisor with the 500th Engineer Support Company, unstraps a bin of toys on the bucket of a loader during the 2020 Veterans of Foreign Wars Tower Post 10692 Toy Drive Dec. 15 on the Tower Barracks Parade Field, Grafenwoehr, Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Ryan C. Matson)  

GRAFENWOEHR, GERMANY

12.15.2020

Story by Master Sgt. Ryan Matson 

7th Army Training Command

Two military children at Grafenwoehr Training Area seem to have discovered the true meaning of Christmas.
Julianna, 7, and her brother Esteban Jr., 9, went with their father, Staff Sgt. Esteban Palencia, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 41st Field Artillery Brigade, to the Post 10692 Veterans of Foreign Wars Toy Drive Dec. 15 on Tower Barracks Parade Field, Grafenwoehr, Germany.
“Last year, they donated at the drive and we had to explain to them why it was important to do that,” Esteban Palencia said.
The donations from the drive benefit around 200 local children living in orphanages.
“This year they kept asking me when it was going to be,” Esteban added. “We really enjoyed picking out the gifts for it together, and they even spent their own money to buy the gifts they donated.”
Jared Krantz-Odendahl, an aviation operations planner with 7th ATC, assisted in planning the event. He said planning a holiday event as opposed to a military aviation operation was a unique challenge.
Krantz-Odendahl explained the 173rd Airborne Brigade has held A Toy Drop for years, but this year the command wanted to expand the efforts and supplement the VFW drive. Krantz-Odendahl said units from throughout Grafenwoehr Training Area contributed toys to the drive. Post 10692 was on hand with a trailer to deliver the toys following the event. Post 10692 commander James Winslow said the VFW has supported toy drives on GTA for the past 15 years.
“It’s a good opportunity to support the command and to give back to the local community, who supports us so much,” Krantz-Odendahl said.

• Date Taken: 12.15.2020
• Date Posted: 12.15.2020 11:38
• Story ID: 385008
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, DE