Blessings in a Box
Valley Natural Foods has well-established relationships with several community organizations that support our troops. Member-owner and former board member Barb Adams-Johnson, who helped us secure the color guard for our flagpole dedication this past summer returned to us in November with an interesting request: would Valley Natural Foods help bless the team of chaplains and priests who minister to the Red Bulls 34th ID?
Barb explains: "The Red Bulls are stationed in Basra, Iraq and are making history leading the command in over half of Iraq. The clergy are ministering to a large number of troops across a vast territory in not the most ideal conditions so it would be such a nice token of our appreciation to surprise them with a genuine ‘Health and Wellness’ gift package."
Barb suggested to Valley Natural Foods about what kinds of items could be donated for the wellness bags and came up with a specific list. The wellness staff got very excited about helping and went to task requesting support from various vendors. We were met with an over-flowing cart load of donated items that not only matched the list, but surpassed it in abundance!
Generous donations included Energy Meals, Granola Bars, Lotions, Lip Balms, Soaps, Toothpaste and a variety of other health and wellness products. The following companies contributed those products: Nature’s Plus, Alacer Corp., Cascadian Farm, Alba Botanica, Tom’s of Maine, Dr. Bronner’s, SunLeaf Naturals and Badger Products.
Recently, Barb and her friends Wendy Wornson and Kristy Wornson worked together as a delightful team assembling these items and filling over 45 gift bags. The bags will be boxed up and shipped directly to Iraq.
A special thank you goes to our local sales representatives who coordinated the vendor contributions. Valley Natural Foods values having great relationships with our sales reps and vendors.
You can learn more about the Red Bulls and read their blogs on their website: www.theredbulls.org.
