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ATLANTA — Fourteen members of Civil Air Patrol’s Peachtree City-Falcon Field Composite Squadron dedicated their evening on Wednesday, Nov. 26, to a massive effort in service of others: processing gift-filled shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
Working alongside hundreds of other volunteers at the Atlanta processing facility, the cadets and senior members were part of a team that inspected, packed, and processed more than 113,000 shoeboxes in a single day. Each box is destined for a child in need around the world, bringing a message of hope and love during the holiday season. These boxes in particular were bound for impoverished children in Africa.
“This experience was very moving to think that each box I touch is going to a different child that I’ll never even meet. So really, I just touched a box that will change a child’s life forever” one cadet said.
Later, a senior member reflected, “It was an extraordinary experience for everyone involved, to witness the sheer scale of generosity and to contribute hands-on to such a meaningful mission. It truly reinforces the core values we instill in our cadets, especially our commitment to selfless service.”
A Focus on Core Values
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) operates on four core values: integrity, volunteer service, excellence, and respect. The Operation Christmas Child event provided an opportunity for the cadets to exemplify the value of volunteer service, which is heavily emphasized within the organization’s community engagement focus.
The Peachtree City-Falcon Field Composite Squadron members were assigned to various stations, performing tasks crucial to ensuring the boxes were ready for shipment—from checking contents to preparing cartons for shipping. Their dedication and high level of organization did not go unnoticed by the facility staff.
Civil Air Patrol is committed to community service year-round, engaging in activities ranging from aerospace education to emergency services support. The success of the Operation Christmas Child night underscores the heartwarming impact young people can have when they put their values into action.
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
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This article was co-authored by 1st Lieutenant Olivia Lowman and Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Bostyn Fry
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