Christmas cards for the troops

Residents in Imperial Valley are coming together to bring the Christmas cheer to deployed troops.

The Imperial Chamber of Commerce is accepting Christmas cards and taking it to the USO.

Ernie Mariscal, a veteran, said that the small gesture does a lot for our troops.

“It brings a sense of our piece of home to them. You know somebody saying thank you. And it goes a long way you know. Again because we have some people that are deployed that don’t have a family. Don’t talk to their family. And when they receive something like that, it brings a big smile to a soldiers face,” said Mariscal.

The holidays can be hard a hard time for those who are deployed.

“Being deployed and away from family, it’s just very sad. You feel down. It’s just…a part of you is missing. Part of you is home. part of your heart,” Mariscal added.

For the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, it’s the least they can do.

Imperial Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Susan Paradis, said, “We hope that it just reassures them that we’re thinking of them. That they are loved and they’re respected. And they’re thought of. We know it’s hard on everyone. Not just the men and women serving but their families.”

Residents have until next Friday morning to drop off their Christmas cards.