San Jacinto College students, employees brighten holidays for Air Force troop

PASADENA, TX -- They did not send a partridge in a pear tree, but a group of San Jacinto College students and employees sent plenty of treats, goodies, and even useful items to brighten the holidays for an "adopted" U.S. Air Force troop stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

A partial list of the $500 worth of items contributed in the "Adopt a Troop for Christmas" drive included homemade cookies, cereal bars, macaroni and cheese, beef jerky sticks, hand warmers, candy, powdered drink packages, popcorn, chewing gum, hot cocoa packages, soap, toothpaste, and other hygiene items.

The way the collaborative effort evolved is a heart-warming story. Last spring, a North Campus health information management student (who also serves in the Air Force) learned she would be re-deployed to the Middle East. Soon, students in health information management instructor Rebecca McDonald's class decided to put together a care package for their former classmate stationed overseas, whose name cannot be included for security reasons.

Read more from The Pasadena Citizen, a Houston Community Newspaper partner