For the last two weeks, the Emporia Main Street offices have more resembled a mini-mart according to Community Development Coordinator Jessica Buccholz.
The reason for the large number of items in the offices has been an overwhelming response to a rapidly developed care package drive in support of the 387th Movement Control Team. The unit consists of 40 soldiers led by Staff Sergeant Stephen Nuessen.
The team is currently deployed in an undisclosed location overseas as part of a year-long tour. The idea for the care package drive came from Nuessen’s wife Alexis, a military veteran herself.
According to Alexis Nuessen, the care packages are desperately needed as recent attacks in the area and resulting security measures have seen any previous supply of items all but wiped out.
Alexis Nuessen organized the drive alongside Emporia Main Street over the past two weeks which garnered right around 40 boxes of supplies and items. She tells KVOE News when the drive began she knew there would be a response from the local community, however, the result left her nearly speechless.
Earlier this week, Alexis Nuessen joined KVOE’s Morning Show and stated their greatest need at that time was monetary donations to help with the shipping of the packages which was averaging around $100 per box. Once again, the local community heard the need and responded in a significant way as the Bluestem Insurance Group offered to cover the costs of shipping.
Buccholz says this was an amazing gesture and it meant that the monetary donations already collected, better than $500 at last word, were able to be put towards purchasing more supplies for the troops overseas.
Alexis Nuessen, along with her children, and Main Street staff spent much of the day Friday packaging up the materials which will be shipped soon. Nuessen offered her thanks to the community for their support and says during a recent video chat with her husband, she was able to show him the fruits of their labors which elicited an emotional response.
With the success of this recent effort, Buccholz told KVOE News Friday they are currently planning another package drive in March. For more information visit Emporiamainstreet.com or find them on social media.
