CAPE MAY — The Jersey Cape Military Spouses Club (JCMSC), located in South Jersey, will once again bring cheer to Coast Guard recruits who will be in training during the Christmas holiday by presenting each recruit with a holiday stocking on Christmas Eve.
JCMSC members have been working hard to fill the recruit stockings with items purchased by the Spouses Club and donated by individuals and businesses. The stockings are handcrafted by members of the club and are passed out on Christmas Eve along with a cup of hot chocolate. Tears usually fill the room as the recruits enjoy a break from training to read holiday cards and special notes from family members, local school children and other donors. Also included are gift cards, snacks and local mementos to commemorate the recruits’ time spent in Cape May County.
Starting in 2012, the Stockings for Recruits program originally included items purchased by the JCMSC as well as some gift cards donated by local businesses for the recruits to use during their “off-base liberty” – the one day recruits are given the privilege to leave Training Center Cape May during their eight week training. Last year, the Spouses Club reached out to more businesses, local individuals and family members of recruits for support and received an overwhelming response.
“The outpour of positive support we received in 2013 was truly amazing,” said Kristen Gallego, the Recruit Stocking Committee Chair.
Although donations are anticipated to be high again this year, an estimated 350 recruits will be aboard the training center this Christmas, which is nearly twice the amount of recruits from 2013!
JCMSC President Erin Farr reported, “Members of JCMSC understand the raw emotions our significant others feel while being away from home. The holidays make this especially difficult. Our goal is to give each recruit a little joy on Christmas Eve, which includes a stocking full of surprises, a cup of hot chocolate and a hug! As they train to become Coast Guard men and women, we want each recruit to know that someone is thinking of them and they are not forgotten.”
For those interested in supporting the JCMSC’s Stockings for Recruits Program, donations can be made online by visiting www.jcmilitaryspousesclub.org. You can also donate by check to PO Box 2354 Cape May, NJ 08204.
The Jersey Cape Military Spouses Club is a non-profit organization open to all branches and all ranks (active duty, retired, reserves) of the military and to other individuals interested in the purpose of the club. The mission of the JCMSC is to promote the morale and well-being of uniformed personnel and their families, by engaging in any charitable and social activities decided on by the members, and to provide educational monetary awards for college bound students. Monetary donations made for the Stocking for Recruits program will go directly towards the creation, administration and delivery of the stockings. In the event of overwhelming success, monetary donations will be applied to the JCMSC Educational Awards program. Stocking for Recruits is planned and published by the Jersey Cape Military Spouses’ Club which is an independent, private organization that is not legally affiliated with the United States Federal Government, the Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Coast Guard.
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