Photo By Pfc. Seu Chan | Members of the Camp Humphreys community march with rucks full of gifts during the Toy...... read more read more
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — The Camp Humphreys community came together for its second annual Toy Ruck March, rucking nearly four miles to deliver donated gifts to children in need across the installation, Dec. 5, 2025.
The annual event aims to promote holistic health and fitness, deepen community relationships, and provide meaningful support to military and host nation children across the peninsula, according to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Randall Foster, Eighth Army Chaplain Directorate plans and operations noncommissioned officer, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade.
Leading up to the event, unit ministry teams across the installation collected information on military and host-nation children in need and provided their information to the gift givers by creating angel ornaments with the children’s information.
Team members hung the ornaments from holiday trees at different units and chapels across the installation, where volunteer donors selected an ornament and purchased an age-appropriate gift for the identified child.
On the day of the event, participants, which included Soldiers, KATUSAs, civilians and family members, loaded the donated gifts into their rucksacks for the 3.9-mile march, which began at 1:30 p.m. and concluded at the Downtown Plaza in time for the installation’s annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony. Upon arrival, marchers placed the gifts beneath designated collection canopies for subsequent distribution.
“Christmas is awesome and so is ruck marching,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Robert “Todd” Brown, deputy commanding general (operations), Eighth Army. “So, I’m really grateful to be able to combine the two things and get out there on this beautiful afternoon.”
Despite temperatures dipping below freezing, the clear skies and bright afternoon sun set the tone for the march. Participants, dressed in their best ugly sweaters, Christmas gear and unit apparel, stepped off with their breath visible in the cold air, but the crisp weather did little to dampen the energy of those rucking to deliver gifts to children in need.
The march concluded with countless brightly wrapped gifts ready for distribution, reflecting the generosity of the Humphreys community. What began as a simple ruck became a reminder of how a community can come together to support those in need during the holiday season.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2025 20:37 |
| Story ID: | 553345 |
| Location: | PYEONGTAEK, GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], KR |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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