The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall provided the Military Officers Association of Sarasota (MOAS) the opportunity on February 16, 2014 to hand Support Our Troops (SOT) kits to patrons. MOAS volunteers handed out 83 of the “Kits”. These Kits provide a shipping box, directions, a Custom Form and an address label for people to send a Care Package to soldiers in Afghanistan.
MOAS is presently supporting the 1st Air Combat Brigade in Kandahar, Afghanistan. These Care Packages have a tremendous positive impact on the Soldiers as articulated by Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Lunsford. He states that the Care Packages forwarded from an earlier SOT drive at the Sarasota Veteran’s Day parade were a great morale boost for the troops.
CSM Lunsford is the senior enlisted man responsible for the care and morale of a Battalion of approximately 350 soldiers. CSM Lunsford states that when Soldiers receive packages from unknown American citizens, the Soldiers realizes they are not forgotten, and that Americans honor their service and their sacrifice to keep our country safe. These efforts in partnership with the Van Wezel definitely remind our deployed forces we support them.The efforts of MOAS and Support Our Troops is part of the Legacy of Valor Campaign currently underway and led by the Patterson Foundation. The Legacy of Valor campaign community partners honors veterans, inspires patriotism and passes freedom on to others.
