LAKEPORT >> Operation Tango Mike (OTM) will mark 12 years of shipping care packages and supporting military personnel on Thursday.
The all-volunteer nonprofit group began in 2003, when founder Ginny Craven began sending care packages to friends deployed to Afghanistan.
Since then, the group has grown and is now headquartered at Umpqua Bank in Lakeport and holds packing parties on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.
Every month, 75 to 100 care packages are packed by volunteers. After the boxes are stuffed, taped and addressed, children decorate each one.
The organization has been in existence long enough to have seen volunteers graduate from high school and become care package recipients. One example is Cpl. Bradley Mayer, who became a care package recipient during a 2014 deployment to Afghanistan.
In a recent note Mayer wrote, “I remember coming off patrol and being told I have mail, first time receiving mail and it was a bunch of care packages for me and my fellow Marines. I can’t express to this day how grateful I was to receive them, and speaking for my fellow Marines, it made our whole deployment. When things would get hectic, we would end up receiving a care package. I won’t keep on babbling but I want to say it’s the little things that make a difference and the best thing to support the warriors, is actually being there and caring.”
A recent post on the OTM Facebook page read, “Hello OPERATION TANGO MIKE! This is SSG Linden Henry II, dropping by to give sincere thanks for the care packages sent to me, here in West Africa. I appreciate you guys!!!!!”
Currently, OTM care packages are shipped to personnel in eight countries. Volunteers have also hosted many welcome home celebrations over the years, as well as assisting families of fallen military personnel.
OTM relies on donations and fundraising to pay the monthly shipping fee of $15.90 per care package, as well as to purchase the needed food and hygiene supplies. Monthly costs for shipping and supplies exceed $2,500.
In commemoration of 12 years of community support, OTM will host an open house from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The regular monthly packing party will follow.
To add someone to the care package recipient list, call 349-2838 or email operatiopntangomike@mchsi.com. Other inquiries may be directed here as well.
Donations may be made by mailing checks to 5216 Piner Court, Kelseyville, California, 95451. Electronic donations can be made via PayPal at www.operationtangomike.org, or via www.gofundme.com/operatiopntangomike. Donations may also be made at Umpqua Bank.
