There's a lot more to Toledo Navy week than just the ships. Sailors have spent time volunteering for a number of different charitable organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Cherry Street Mission.
On Thursday, some of them helped box up care packages for members of the military serving overseas for a program called Heroes in Action. Every month they send those packages overseas and through the work they do, they've become heroes to many of our military heroes who are away from home.
The simple act of packing up boxes is changing lives. What started with just 11 care packages some 8 years ago has grown. Heroes in Action now sends dozens of boxes overseas every month, often to complete strangers. Heroes in Action Director Dawn Heisler has been part of it from the start,"When we add someone to our list they are on the list until they come home, it is not a one time thing."
An army of volunteers pack the boxes the first Thursday of every month and this time they had help from Navy sailors, including Gregory Welter from Tiffin, "I remember in boot camp I didn't get a lot of mail, so it's nice to give back. They think about home all the time while they are away and we don't always remember them. This is a great way to show we care."
A lot of people assume the boxes only go to members of the military in the middle of war zones, but Heisler says they go to anyone serving outside the country, "The packages go to places like Africa and Japan , it does not matter where. If they are overseas, they are away from their home and their families and they are still serving."
Many of the people the boxes are sent to are friends or family members of volunteers who work with the program. Other names come from members of the military who know someone who doesn't get anything sent to them from home. Heisler wants to make sure no one who serves our country is ever forgotten, "Some of them get no mail, not just a box, they do not get any mail. I can't imagine how hard that is. I write a lot of letters to put in the boxes especially for those who have no family."
The care packages are the primary focus of Heroes in Action, but they also work with homeless veterans as well as vets who need help with things like car and home repairs.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:54 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:54:56 GMT
Toledo police shot and killed a man with a gun early Thursday morning. Police say officers were patrolling in the 1000 block of Page Street around 12:30 when they saw a man pointing a gun at a woman.
Toledo police shot and killed a man with a gun early Thursday morning.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:20 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:20:31 GMT
If you're in Archbold and you hear the sound of 100 harps, you're not just hearing things. The 6th annual Harp Gathering is underway May 16-19th.Denise Grupp-Verbon co-founded the festival with her husband.
If you're in Archbold and you hear the sound of 100 harps, you're not just hearing things. The 6th annual Harp Gathering is underway May 16-19th.Denise Grupp-Verbon co-founded the festival with her husband.
Thursday, May 23 2013 5:07 AM EDT2013-05-23 09:07:37 GMT
The picture has been shared over 23,000 times on Facebook. It shows a note pinned to a car. In the note, Facebook user, Jeremy Jon, explains that he took the car owners dog to the Bowling Green Police
Police say viral photo on Facebook is a hoax. Man claimed to save a dog and then posted it on the social network to impress a girl.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:32 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:32:13 GMT
Some of Rossford's oldest school buildings need major repairs. District leaders now have five potential renovation plans, but they're looking for voter input before they move forward.
Some of Rossford's oldest school buildings need major repairs. District leaders now have five potential renovation plans, but they're looking for voter input before they move forward.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:12 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:12:46 GMT
We often report stories on the Ohio State Highway Patrol's K-9 unit. The dogs help Troopers find huge quantities of illegal drugs in our region every year. But between the big hits is a lot of hard work,
Ride along as an elite group of four legged crime fighters and their handlers take drugs off Northwest Ohio roads.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:54 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:54:56 GMT
Toledo police shot and killed a man with a gun early Thursday morning. Police say officers were patrolling in the 1000 block of Page Street around 12:30 when they saw a man pointing a gun at a woman.
Toledo police shot and killed a man with a gun early Thursday morning.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:12 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:12:46 GMT
We often report stories on the Ohio State Highway Patrol's K-9 unit. The dogs help Troopers find huge quantities of illegal drugs in our region every year. But between the big hits is a lot of hard work,
Ride along as an elite group of four legged crime fighters and their handlers take drugs off Northwest Ohio roads.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:20 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:20:31 GMT
If you're in Archbold and you hear the sound of 100 harps, you're not just hearing things. The 6th annual Harp Gathering is underway May 16-19th.Denise Grupp-Verbon co-founded the festival with her husband.
If you're in Archbold and you hear the sound of 100 harps, you're not just hearing things. The 6th annual Harp Gathering is underway May 16-19th.Denise Grupp-Verbon co-founded the festival with her husband.
Thursday, May 23 2013 5:07 AM EDT2013-05-23 09:07:37 GMT
The picture has been shared over 23,000 times on Facebook. It shows a note pinned to a car. In the note, Facebook user, Jeremy Jon, explains that he took the car owners dog to the Bowling Green Police
Police say viral photo on Facebook is a hoax. Man claimed to save a dog and then posted it on the social network to impress a girl.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:32 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:32:13 GMT
Some of Rossford's oldest school buildings need major repairs. District leaders now have five potential renovation plans, but they're looking for voter input before they move forward.
Some of Rossford's oldest school buildings need major repairs. District leaders now have five potential renovation plans, but they're looking for voter input before they move forward.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:07 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:07:04 GMT
Kassy Widman is a Woodmore High School graduate. She's been living in Moore, Oklahoma for several years with her kids and husband. Monday her world was turned upside down after an EF 5 tornado nearly
A Woodmore High School graduate loses everything in the Moore, Oklahoma tornado. Her sister tells 13abc, her twin nephews were among the survivors at Plaza Towers Elementary school where 7 children died.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:18 PM EDT2013-05-23 02:18:14 GMT
Sylvania Township Police are investigating a Missing Person case. 25-year-old Jennifer Webster was last seen Monday in Sylvania Township.Jennifer is 5'1", 150 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. She was
Sylvania Township say a 25-year-old woman was was reported missing by her mother has been found.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:13 PM EDT2013-05-23 02:13:59 GMT
A cardboard competition was held Wednesday at the Maritime Academy of Toledo! Students were challenged to build boats made with just cardboard, duct tape and glue. Four teams put their vessels to the
A cardboard competition was held Wednesday at the Maritime Academy of Toledo! Students were challenged to build boats made with just cardboard, duct tape and glue.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 8:27 PM EDT2013-05-23 00:27:36 GMT
K.C. Collete submitted his resignation as a member of Findlay City Council Wednesday.He did not specify a reason for his departure in his resignation letter, reports 13abc media partner The Toledo Blade.
K.C. Collete submitted his resignation as a member of Findlay City Council Wednesday. Collete was arrested on a petty theft charge over the weekend for allegedly attempting to steal two bottles of vitamins.
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