Macy’s is trying to create its own “miracle on State Street” this year by helping raise $15,000 to send holiday packages to Utah military units serving in Iraq this Christmas.
The department store will host “Operation Ensuring Christmas” events today and tomorrow, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Letters to Soldiers, an organization dedicated to sending support to soldiers abroad is teaming up with Macy’s this year. The organization has already raised $5,000 and needs $10,000 more to reach their goal to create and send 1,500 packages to Utah soldiers.
“I’m really passionate that corporations are one of the biggest groups that can give back to the community,” said Nic Delgado, store manager of Macy’s at University Mall in Orem.
Delgado became the manager in August and has held some community event each month since then. When Denise De Vynck, creator and manager of Letters to Soldiers, came into the store to put up fliers for another event trying to raise money, Delgado decided the store would help raise the money. His grandfather served in the Korean War and would tell him, “Volunteerism is the rent you pay for your time on earth.”
De Vynck created Letters to Soldiers 10 years ago when she saw the need for it in the community. This is only the second year the organization has sponsored a Christmas event and hopes to give letters and packages to 10 times as many soldiers as last year.
She said many soldiers never get letters or packages and this is especially hard around the holidays when they are so far away from home.
“It’s needed,” De Vynck said. “Our soldiers are sacrificing more than they have ever been asked in history. There isn’t something more wonderful than giving to someone who really needs it.”
The packages will go to six different units from Utah whose captains have requested them through the organization’s Web site: www.letterstosoldiers.org. De Vynck said it means even more to the soldiers because it comes from their own state.
Some of the items that will go in the packages are letters from over 40 schools in Utah, chocolate made by a local vendor, homemade stockings, Tahitian Noni products, DVDs of the concert, “The Christmas Box” book donated by the author and calling cards.
Macy’s will raise money for the shipping of these items by selling a CD of LDS singers such as Angela Winston, Allison Janisse and Osmond 2nd Generation, who will be performing at the two-day event. There will also be a silent auction with footballs and a helmet signed by the BYU football team, a Macy’s’ $500 shopping spree certificate, an air hockey table, restaurant certificates and more.
The event will have a fashion show both nights with relatives of the military and visiting veterans as the models. There will be free food, hairstyling consultations, gift card giveaways, and game day items on game day.
De Vynck said so many people came together to make the event work. “It’s like the true miracle on 34th street,” she said.
Macy’s Operation Ensuring Christmas Events:
Today: 2 drawings for $50 gift certificates, free food, hairstyling and beauty consultations
6:30 p.m. Benefit Concert featuring Angela Winston
7 p.m. Fashion show featuring veterans and relatives of soldiers as models
8 p.m. The Osmonds: The 2nd Generation
Nov. 21: 2 drawings for $50 gift certificates, free food, hairstyling and beauty consultations
6-9 BYU Tailgate Party with free game day items and showing of the Utah v. BYU game
6:30 p.m. Benefit Concert featuring Allison Janisse
7 p.m. Fashion show featuring veterans and relatives of soldiers as models
8 p.m. Special encore by Allison Janisse
Copyright Brigham Young University 20 Nov 2008
