More than 200 care packages sent to military troops through Windsor-Essex effort

A local legion is sending care packages to troops abroad, reminding them they are cared for.

What began as a small gesture for a handful of deployed service members has quickly grown into a region-wide show of support in Windsor-Essex.

At Royal Canadian Legion Metropolitan Branch 594, a simple idea, filling shoeboxes with comfort items, has turned into more than 200 care packages — and counting — bound for Canadian troops overseas.

Organizer David Woodman said the concept came from a familiar place after seeing similar efforts for children abroad and adapting it for military members serving far from home.

“We just wanted to send them a little bit of home,” said Woodman.

Woodman started by putting out about 20 empty shoeboxes. Within hours, they were gone — and the response only grew from there.

He described how the effort quickly expanded beyond what he had imagined, as people across the community stepped in to help.

“It just exploded,” said Woodman.

Local businesses began donating boxes, while service clubs and other organizations joined in — including the Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, Legion Branch 255, and the North Wall Riders — each adding to the growing number of care packages.

According to North Wall member Greg Roy, who said the Riders assembled 45 boxes for his nephew’s platoon serving in Latvia, groups make sure every package follows military guidelines.

“We’ve heard from other veterans that getting a care package is like gold to them — because it shows people care, and that’s what we do. We care about our active-duty military,” said Roy.

Inside the boxes are a range of items, including distinctly Canadian comforts — from ketchup chips to maple cookies.

Daniel LeBlanc, who served overseas and now works with military families in the region, said receiving one of those packages can have a lasting impact.

He described the boost it can provide during long stretches away from home and loved ones.

“It means everything because it shows someone’s thinking about you back home,” he said.

LeBlanc recalled asking his own family for familiar snacks while serving abroad — small reminders of normal life in an otherwise stressful environment.

“For me, it was Funyuns. When I was overseas and feeling homesick, I told my parents, ‘Can you find me some Funyuns and send them to me?’ — along with things like maple cookies you can only get back home,” said LeBlanc, adding those simple items can help break up the isolation many troops feel.

LeBlanc said the Legion-led effort highlights how local groups in Windsor-Essex have stepped up to fill gaps in support for deployed members.

He said services aren’t always as accessible in the region compared to other areas — something organizations in Windsor-Essex have long recognized.

“We have a running joke that Canada kind of ends at London, as far as services go sometimes,” he said.

“So, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that the Legion networks in our area are very unlike a lot of other areas,” he said.

That coordination, LeBlanc added, has led to an overwhelming response from the community.

“It’s actually to the point where we have more shoebox care packages than we know what to do with,” he said.

Getting the packages overseas takes coordination — from identifying deployed members to handling customs and routing shipments through local armouries.

LeBlanc said, despite the logistics, the turnaround is relatively quick.

“Usually, it’s about three to four weeks from here to there,” LeBlanc added.

Organizers say the outpouring of support has far exceeded expectations.

Woodman said what was initially meant to support a single rotation of troops is now continuing to grow, with enough donations to potentially reach even more Canadian Armed Forces members abroad.

And for those involved, the message behind each box is simple. Roy said it reflects a broader sense of appreciation within the community.

“It’s just about showing them we haven’t forgotten them,” Roy added.

When asked how long Legion 594 will continue leading this effort, Woodman said they have no immediate plans to stop.

“We thought this would maybe cover one rotation, so about six months, but this has taken on a life of its own,” said Woodman.