The VFW Post 12118 Ladies auxiliary has been sending out 'support the troops' care packages with the financial and donation help from the community for two years now and have received some nice notes and letters of thanks.
But the ladies were in tears on Veterans Day when they were presented with a certificate of appreciation and an American Flag that had flown on a mission over Afghanistan from one of the recipients of their boxes of goodies.
CW2 Kelly Abercrombie (pilot), a Highway Patrolman out of the San Andreas office, was one of the recipients of the ladies support the troops care packages. The boxes meant so much to him and his crew that they chose to recognize the ladies with a certificate and a mission flag.
Kelly could not make the parade in person and asked that I, Charity Maness, stand in for him. I was honored.
When the ladies were called to the front of the crowd they did not know what they were being called to receive.
Never needing thanks for what they did, as it was a gift from their hearts for the service of our military, the ladies were moved beyond words.
From the ladies auxiliary to Kelly Abercrombie and crew "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service and for the honor of the recognition."