KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (Dec. 2, 2015) -- They may ride motorcycles rather than sleighs and "regs" don't permit an abdomen shaped like a "bowl full of jelly," but members of the Warrant Officers Association, or WOA, Rheinland-Pfalz Silver Chapter, along with Family members and volunteers, emulated Saint Nick for a good cause during a succession of charity events, which will culminate in a "Toy Run for Kids," Dec. 5.
The warrant officers will collect new, unwrapped, toys for children from 6 months to 18 years old at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center parking lot. Reindeer being otherwise occupied this time of year, the public-spirited warrant officers will organize the toys and deliver them to the Kinderheim Saint Nikolaus Orphanage in Landstuhl by motorcycle convoy.
Warrant officers and volunteers will "line up" for the "toy run" at 10:30 a.m. at the Garden Center side of the parking lot, and depart for the orphanage - the destination of the ride - by 11:30 a.m. Anyone interested in supporting the toy convoy should bring donation items to the parking lot between those times Saturday morning.
The toy run, modeled on similar events conducted in the United States, is among the first to be held by the Kaiserslautern community.
"There is nothing like making a child's Christmas," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Adam Pollett of the 21st Theater Sustainment Company, or TSC, support operations section, and the WOA vice president. "Even though we will not personally see the children, we know in our hearts that these children will have their own new toy."
Volunteers can participate whether or not they ride motorcycles.
"Even if you don't ride a bike, just come on down and bring a toy," Pollett said. "You will still be helping a child celebrate Christmas."
The toy run is only the latest in a string of community events conducted by the association.
Around 30 TSC warrant officers and Family members, for instance, devoted personal time and sweat to renovating a Kaiserslautern women's shelter in October.
Andrea Brunner, a 21st TSC supply technician who collaborated with the WOA on the project, along with Soldier-volunteers, noted all of the repairs and supplies that were needed - ranging from a broken dishwasher and holes in the walls to windows lacking curtains and unpainted walls.
WOA volunteers returned to paint rooms, complete repairs, organize donated items in three garages and clean up. They also performed yard work among other chores.
"We hung curtain rods and curtains that we had purchased, fixed and changed out light fixtures, hung pictures, plastered many holes in the wall and installed a new dishwasher, also bought by the association," Pollett said.
The effort was rewarding for all participants.
"I received several e-mails from the [shelter managers] in which they expressed their gratitude," Brunner said. "The ladies and I were impressed especially by their no wasting time, their spontaneity and their helpfulness."
The association didn't limit its efforts to shelter repairs and toy deliveries. A hot dog sale conducted during a Rhine Ordnance Barracks bazaar in late November raised funds for the USO Warrior Center and the Fischer House in Landstuhl.
"We do this two times per year - this is the third time we have presented a check to them - each time the amount has been between $1,200 and $1,500," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 James J. Britton, 21st TSC senior ordnance logistics officer and president of the WOA. "This money goes directly to the USO Transition Center, which supports the Soldiers who are recovering."
Association leaders described the outreach as part of a comprehensive vision.
"We are here to assist and give back to our Soldiers and our local community," Britton said.
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21st Theater Sustainment Command
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