Remembering Bravo Battery at Christmas

Toys donated by customers who filled a large gingerbread house at the Dollar General Store No. 1313, in Sebring, were delivered Thursday to the National Guard Armory at Avon Park for the families of the soldiers of Bravo Battery.

Also delivered were toys from the Sebring Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4300 and Tom Long, governor of Highlands County Moose Lodge 2494 of Avon Park, presented a $200 check to Debbie Wiggins, coordinator with the Family Readiness Group and Sgt. James Metz, readiness NCO for the Florida Army National Guard.

Howard Jenkins, local veterans employment coordinator at Heartland Workforce, said he was talking with Wiggins who told him of her efforts to get about 100 toys for the children of Bravo Battery.

"There are people out there willing to help, you've just got to open your heart," he said Friday. "Being a retired vet myself, I said I know people that would help."

He made some telephone calls and got the ball rolling.

Long overheard a conversation Jenkins was having and asked what they needed to help the Bravo Battery families. He brought the idea back to his board.

"We took the money out of our general fund," Long said.

There was a genuine holiday spirit in the air as all those involved posed for a portrait photo around a table filled with toys at the Armory on Thursday afternoon.

"Our toy box was a big gingerbread house," said Marisol Dudley, store manager for the Dollar General store on the north end of Sebring.

The gingerbread box will remain up until Christmas Eve, she said.

Since the start of December about $350 worth of toys were donated, thanks to generous store patrons, she said.

"We never counted how many, but I think it's close to 100 toys," said Charlene Ceballos, assistant store manager. "A lot of them were $5 toys."

Several customers tried to buy the gingerbread box, she said.

The toys and financial support will go to families of those both deployed as well as soldiers with families in need of help, said Sgt. Metz.

"There are well over 60 families being helped through this effort," said Metz.

Linda Robinette is the District 23 president, and senior vice president of the Ladies Auxiliary to VFW (LAVFW) Post 4300.

She and Judy Love, conductress of LAVFW, said they took this labor of love (a toy gathering) for the Bravo Battery families as a community service project.

"There were 60 or 70 toys collected through the generous contributions of the members of Post 4300 in Sebring," said Love.

The money will go into the guard's Family Readiness Fund, said Debbie Wiggins, who is the Family Readiness Group coordinator.

She was very pleased to accept the donations.

"Last year we didn't get near what we got this year," said Wiggins. "It goes toward helping soldiers who are in need throughout the year as well as toward events we hold throughout the year."

Carissa Offhaus, who is the group's co-coordinator, said this was her first year helping with the Family Readiness Group.

"It took a lot of effort, thought - and stress," Offhaus joked.

"It's good to know our community cares so much for our soldiers and that they support them," added Wiggins.