Victory Corps soldiers march to deliver Christmas cheer

Victory Corps soldiers march to deliver holiday cheer
V Corps Soldiers march to donate toys at a local Red Cross on Fort Knox, Kentucky, Dec. 2. Dozens of V Corps Soldiers attended a ruck march toy drive to boost holiday spirit and spread cheer to families and children in need in the local community. Photo credit U.S. Army.Pfc. Devin Klecan

V Corps Soldiers conducted a ruck march to deliver toys to a local American Red Cross to serve the Fort Knox community during the holiday season, Dec. 2.

The ruck march was a way for V Corps to spread cheer by giving back to the Fort Knox community and help families in need during the holiday season.

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“This (Toy Drive) was more about giving back to the service members who aren’t able to provide toys for their families,” said Cpl. Ashanti Bracey, a religious support specialist from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who helped coordinate the event. “It really has a giving aspect to it, rather than it being a [mandatory] organized event.”

Even though the march was optional for V Corps, dozens of Soldiers placed their rucksacks on their backs and stepped out for the cause.

Pfc. Drew Everhart, a medic from the Corps’ Battalion Aid Station, from Greenville, Indiana, wanted to show support to the organization with his fellow V Corps Soldiers.

Victory Corps soldiers march to deliver Christmas cheer
Pfc. Alex Parker, from St. Louis, Missouri, hands his donations to Cpl. Ashanti Bracey, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, accepted donations on behalf of the local Red Cross at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on Dec. 2. Dozens of V Corps Soldiers attended a ruck march toy drive to boost holiday spirit and spread cheer to families and children in need in the local community. Photo credit U.S. Army/Pfc. Devin Klecan

“I felt this would be a good chance for the V Corps Battalion aid station to show its support once again during the holiday season.” Said Pfc. Everhart.

Mandy Kirchgessner, a volunteer for Fort Knox’s Red Cross, has seen the impact donations make for the Red Cross and the families that benefit from the generosity of strangers.

“COVID-19, trying to find child care and spouses trying to find jobs to get back to work can be some of the challenging circumstances that families go through at this time,” said Kirchgessner. “Knowing that our organization can do something to offset the stress during the holidays and to provide families with positive memories and experiences that the community can participate in is pretty special.”

Featured Image Photo Credit: U.S. Army.Pfc. Devin Klecan