Sylvie Belmond 
Image Credit: Steve Trocino
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — On Jan. 17, dozens of local volunteers gathered at the For the Troops headquarters in Simi Valley to pack care packages for U.S. service members stationed overseas.
Members of Kiwanis and the Circle K Club from Moorpark College spent the day volunteering at the local nonprofit, which supports deployed military personnel. In total, 36 volunteers sorted donated supplies, assembled boxes, and prepared shipments headed to troops around the world.
The packing day is part of an annual January tradition for Kiwanis, reflecting a long-standing commitment to hands-on service across generations.
“For the Troops has now filled more than 324,000 care packages since the organization began 20 years ago, made possible through donations of time and money from the community,” said Steve Trocino, who shared details of the event.
Each box includes practical items such as toiletries, snacks, writing paper, and magazines, along with handwritten letters from schoolchildren and adults. Volunteers say those notes are among the most meaningful items received, offering encouragement and a reminder that people back home are thinking of them.
The Jan. 17 event underscored a shared focus among the participating groups: consistent, hands-on service rooted in the local community.
For Circle K students, the experience also provided an opportunity to learn service leadership alongside longtime Kiwanis members, working together on a project with tangible results.
For the Troops operates year-round, relying on volunteers and donations to keep care packages moving to military units overseas. Packing days like this one show how local efforts continue to make a difference, one box at a time.
