Cleveland area community sends stacks of stockings to Youngstown ARS Published Dec. 2, 2014 By Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr. 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Santa Claus, or those embodying his spirit, came early this year to deliver some holiday treats to the Servicemembers assigned here. Three van loads of yuletide cheer arrived at YARS, Nov. 26, 2014, courtesy of the USO of Northern Ohio and the citizenry of the Cleveland suburb of Willoughby Hills, Ohio. According to Bruce Bille, Trumbull and Mahoning Counties Coordinator for the USO of Northern Ohio, the Willoughby Hills-based DeJohn Flynn-Mylott Funeral Home has led a drive for the past eight years to rally schools, churches, other civic organizations, area residents and more to collect donations to fill stockings for U.S. military members serving in combat zones overseas. This year marks the ninth year of the effort and the fifth year the USO of Northern Ohio has partnered with the drive to get the donations to those on Kris Kringle's special military gift list. "This is awesome," said Bille. "It's another example of people getting together to help our serving military members." Bille said the service organization's effort has recently shifted focus a little closer to home as the numbers of U.S. Servicemembers deployed to combat locations across the world has been reduced within the past year. "The USO is working to connect communities with our military serving here locally by providing services and morale building activities," he said. More than 950 stockings brimming with goodies, holiday greeting cards, food stuffs and more were unpacked at the YARS Fitness Center here to be passed out later to the Air Force, Marine and Navy Reservists assigned here at upcoming holiday festivities. Billie said some of the donated gifts would be given to other military units currently serving in Northeast Ohio during the holiday season. In short order, a group of Citizen Airmen and Department of Defense civilians assigned to YARS did their best impressions of a team of the North Pole's finest and finished placing the last of the special provisions into storage to await delivery. Soon after, Col. Kevin Riley, 910th Mission Group commander, accepted a meticulously-prepared package, symbolic of the entire holiday treasure trove, from Billie, the Mahoning Valley representative for the USO. "We are so grateful for this," the colonel said, smiling. "You can look at each one of these stockings and see the time, care and gratitude poured into every one." Riley said this outpouring represents the backing today's military receives from countless numbers of people living in this part of the country. He also said it means something special those who choose to serve in America's Armed Forces. "It's an honor to serve," Riley said. "But, we love and appreciate the support."