Families make 'patriot packages' for deployed members Published Oct. 29, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Kiana Brothers 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Ten children and their parents teamed up with Patriot Packaging to help pack 50 hand-made bags for deployed military members Oct. 25 at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars building. This is the first event that Kidz Showing Kindness has done for deployed members. Kidz Showing Kindness offers volunteer projects for children 5-18 years old. Two years ago, Christy Gilliland, Kidz Showing Kindness founder, moved to Scott Air Force Base and saw that there were community service groups available for everyone except children. Within the military community she organized the group, but as time passed it has grown larger. "Our mission is to instill in children empathy, passion, kindness and service to others through volunteer work in local communities," said Christy. "The kids are our future leaders, so I want to teach them how to be a part of the community and that there are things going on outside their box." Families that participated provided a list of travel size snacks, games, and personal care items for packaging. The bags also included letters of support decorated by the children, and a white star made from an American flag that can no longer fly. "The kids love organizing the items on the table and going around collecting things to pack the bags up," said Maj. Scott Gilliland, husband of Christy Gilliland. "Each month we try and do something different and this is extra special because they are putting things together for deployed members." One of the kids participating has a father deployed. He is a member of Team Scott. "This is fun to do, and I have already packed six bags," said Ava Mayfield, during the event. Kidz Showing Kindness not only tries to support military, but they also help out in the local communities. Even Christy's children have said that they really feel like they've made a difference. "We talk about the people we support; we let the kids know that others we are helping do not have nice warm coats like we do, so it's a learning experience for the kids," said Christy. In the past, the group has baked cookies for nursing home residents, cooked dinners for Ronald McDonald House and assisted with Special Olympics. In addition, the group made comfort bags for St. Louis Children's Hospital's families, and also assisted the O'Fallon City Garden Club, where the food that is grown is donated to the City Food bank. "The kids are proud of what they've done after they have completed a volunteer event," said Christy. "It's nice to see that they get it, that even something as small as baking cookies and taking them to someone, they see that it's something nice to do for someone else." Christy hopes to start other chapters around the Air Force as they grow larger in size. Major Gilliland said his wife has a website and Facebook, so they constantly receive a lot of feedback and ideas for more events.