Army brings toys, food to local orphans

By Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Troth (IMCOM)December 26, 2012

Army brings toys, food to local orphans
Soldiers and civilians with the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade Area I at Camp Red Cloud pay a holiday visit to the Isaac House orphanage in Uijeongbu Dec. 13, and drop off toys and a large supply of food in addition to the corndogs and beverages th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

By Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Troth

jefferey.l.troth.mil@mail.mil

UIJEONGBU, South Korea -- Christmas came early for the children at Isaac House orphanage in Uijeongbu as Soldiers and civilians from Camp Red Cloud visited them Dec. 13.

Twenty-two volunteers from the Directorate of Logistics, Logistics Readiness Center-Red Cloud, 403rd Army Field Support Brigade Area I, played Santa during the visit. They delivered toys, food and money to the 84 children who call Isaac House home. This is the seventh year that DOL has brought gifts to the orphans.

"Everything was voluntary," said Maj. Rigoberto Valdez, deputy director of logistics. "The donations were voluntary and then whoever wanted to go out there was on a voluntary basis."

After loading all the donated items into a truck, the Soldiers and civilians headed to the southern part of Uijeongbu where they were greeted by a throng of wide-eyed, smiling children at Isaac House.

Their visit got started with presentation of the money that had been collected for kids.

Isaac House Director No Hye-soon said the money would be very useful in purchasing needed items for the youngsters.

One thing they won't have to buy is corn dogs. The children and adults had an afternoon snack of corn dogs, chips and Rice Krispies Treats.

For one boy, it was his first time having a Rice Krispies Treat and after one nibble, he quickly gave away his half-eaten corn dog and turned his full attention to the sweet treat.

"I was glad to have visited the kids at the orphanage so close to when I am going home," said Valdez, who left two days after the visit to Isaac House to spend Christmas with his family in the states.

He said the trip to the orphanage was a good run-up to seeing his 2-year-old daughter and nearly 5-year-old son whom he hadn't seen since he left for Korea in June.

"It is important to help the orphans out however we can," said Valdez, who spent the visit with either a child clinging to his leg or sitting in his lap. "We are ambassadors over here and we are doing the right thing going out there and visiting them."

But it's good for the Soldiers too, he said, because most have children or younger siblings in the states and don't get to see them while stationed in Korea.

"Having everyone come here," No said, "means a lot. It shows that people care about the children at the orphanage."

Related Links:

U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud and Area I official page

U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud and Area I Flickr account photos of visit

U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud and Area I Facebook photos of visit