Sky Soldiers bring holiday spirit to their community with toy donations

Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk | U.S. Army paratroopers with the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, deliver toys, donated by Soldiers and their families, to children in Camasano Vicento, Italy, as part of an annual toy donation Dec. 5, 2023. All battalions within the 173rd Airborne Brigade have a partner community and regular participate with their communities. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. (U.S. Army photograph by Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk)  

VICENZA, ITALY

12.05.2023

Story by Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk 

173rd Airborne Brigade

VICENZA, Italy — Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade spread holiday cheer by conducting a toy donation event in the community of Camisano Vicentino, Italy on Dec. 5, 2023.

Paratroopers with the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB), 173rd Airborne Brigade, departed Caserma Ederle with toys donated by Soldiers and their families. Upon arrival at a local sports field, the gifts were given to schoolteachers for distribution to children.

"The toy donation is a fun way to keep our Paratroopers mission-ready,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Travis Toole, the battalion commander of the 54th BEB, who expressed his excitement about this mission. “The people of Camisano Vicentino, as well as the greater Vicenza area, have been very gracious to us and this event serves as a small token of our appreciation.”

This event not only brings joy to the children but also strengthens the bond between the Vicenza-based battalions of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the local community.

Each battalion is paired with a specific community where they focus their outreach activities, further integrating the soldiers into the shared community. This effort is part of the U.S. Army Garrison - Italy's Community Alliance Partnership Program.

The garrison-sponsored outreach program is designed to strengthen relations between U.S. and Italian communities in northern Italy. The plan includes quarterly meetings between local U.S. Army leadership and elected officials in communities situated near Army bases such as the two in Vicenza: Caserma Ederle and Caserma Del Din. The meetings foster a greater understanding of community needs and ways to interact with one another. The toy donation event included planners from both the local Italian community and 173rd Airborne Brigade leadership.

Approximately 100 parents, children and others welcomed the Paratroopers to the community. Toys were on display inside a local sports facility and community leaders provided food and beverages to those in attendance.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Steven Tonello, squad leader with the 54th BEB and a Vicenza native, played the role of Santa. He spoke in Italian to the audience, double-checked his list to make sure none of the children made the naughty list, and posed for pictures with the kids and families.

Additionally, Camisano Vicentino mayor, Marangon Renzo, was present at the event and expressed his gratitude.

“We are immensely proud to support this partnership operation with our Paratrooper friends from the U.S. Army,” he said.

More than 45 Paratroopers participated in this annual heartwarming event.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's contingency response force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.

• Date Taken: 12.05.2023
• Date Posted: 12.06.2023 08:52
• Story ID: 459212
• Location: VICENZA, IT
• Hometown: CAMISANO VICENTINO, IT