Enchenberg donations
Citizens of Enchenberg, France (population 1,200) pack boxes with essential supplies to aid in the effort to relieve refugees from the conflict in Ukraine. U.S. Army Medical Center-Europe, donated boxes that would have been recycled for the relief effort. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL

By day, information technology specialist Francois Oswald is focused on solving computer issues.

But after hours, his attention turns toward taking care of the people of a small French village called Enchenberg located about 90 kilometers, or 55 miles, from his job at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center-Europe in Kaiserlautern, Germany.

As deputy mayor of Enchenberg, Oswald recently coordinated an effort to send care packages to people who have fled Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict.

The people of Enchenberg worked for a full weekend to pull together donated items, such as blankets, diapers and medical items, and compile 40 boxes to contribute to the campaign -- a joint effort among several French towns.

But there was one thing the campaign still needed.

“We needed packing boxes,” said Oswald. “So I went to the command to see if there were second-hand boxes that USAMMC-E could contribute.”

He said the boxes were of no further use to the command and were destined to be recycled.

“We shipped about 40 boxes,” said Oswald. “We got it all done in one weekend.”

He said the relief package could not have been assembled without the efforts of the citizens of Enchenberg and the leadership of the town’s mayor, Veronique Wittman.

Oswald said, “It was natural for us to do something and help.”