Home Brentwood Brentwood: Bristow Middle School Students Create 117 “Morale Boxes” for Troops

Brentwood: Bristow Middle School Students Create 117 “Morale Boxes” for Troops

by ECT

Bristow Middle School students in Brentwood hope to bring cheer to soldiers stationed across the world after working to send 117 morale boxes via Operation Creekside.

On Wednesday, all the boxes were packed with snacks, seeds, books, letters, dominoes, playing cards, magazines, sunblock, baby wipes, toiletries and more stated leadership teacher Shawna Borba.

Borba says the project was led by the Bristow Leadership and FOR Classes but the entire student body ended up writing letters and bringing in donations. The boxes are expected to arrive between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving,

Students also worked to raise of $350 to go towards shipping costs. Borda explained three students raised more than $200 by hosting multiple bake sales—Alexa N., Devann F, and Faith.

Operation Creekside Bristow 2This was the third year the school was doing the project. The first year they did 45-boxes, last year they had 78-boxes and this year they made 117-boxes.  The project was started on October 13 and had all the collections in by October 27 stated Borda highlighting how dedicated the students were.

She admitted this year she pushed for it for several reasons.

“Sergeant Sara Castro was my student back when she was in 7th grade and It broke my heart when she was murdered. I know she had received boxes from Operation Creekside and helped at their packing events when on leave,” explained Broba. “It is a local nonprofit and it is tangible the kids are creating boxes not just getting money so it becomes more real. We send packages to their siblings, cousins and ex-Bristow kids now serving- kind of completes the circle.”

She also noted that her husband was in the Navy and still talks about a third grade class that “adopted” him.

Borda explained the kids get a choice to make a box with another peer in class or make their own. Most made their own. They love picking out things they’d want to get. The students also help year round at packing events put on by Operation Creekside.

“They see the soldiers on leave, the family members of soldiers at the events it hits home,” said Borda. “Also the letters, when we get letters of thank you they adorn my walls in my class the kids dig the letters and pictures the troops send.”

Borda also credits Gina Terry, the FOR (Friends of Rachel) Club teacher who also helped with the operation. Friends of Rachel refers to Rachel Joy Scott who was the first victim at Columbine. She believed in creating a chain reaction of kindness and forgiveness. The class is all about helping and anti-bully.

Operation Creekside is still trying to find donations to help pay for the remainder of the shipping costs. Each box costs $16 to ship.

If anyone would like to help make a soldiers day brighter they can make a tax deductible donation to Operation Creekside a local nonprofit that sends morale boxes abroad.

About Operation Creekside

Our ministry packs quality items with care and prayer with the focus on God, the troops and their families. We are humbly serving our God, building deep friendships and impacting the world!

We ship approximately 50 care packages a month to deployed men and women of the U.S. military. The most important part of this ministry is prayer, we have prayed specifically for the names on these boxes to send the blessings out immediately.

For more info or to get involved and glorify God, please contact us.
Phone: 925-260-5423
Website: operationcreekside.org
[email protected]

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