Not even an office renovation, with most of the office working remotely, could keep the team at RumbergerKirk from spreading holiday cheer to troops serving overseas. On December 1, a small crew packed up 26 boxes filled with personal hygiene items, coffee, drink mixes, snacks and holiday treats and decor for troops serving in remote parts of the world. These everyday items that are often taken for granted can be can be difficult or expensive to obtain when serving in remote locations. This latest shipment is headed for three ships — the U.S.S. Eisenhower, the U.S.S. Ford and the U.S.S Dextrous, as well as to service people located in Qatar, Germany and other places far away.

“Although we had a small crew putting the boxes together in an even smaller space, the support of the entire RumbergerKirk firm ensures we have items to fill the boxes and enough monetary donations to pay for the shipping,” said Lisa Griffin, a legal assistant at the firm who began the program 16 years ago. “Donations come from all of our offices and many have been sending donations from our Amazon wish list,” she added.

RK ships care packages three to four times a year with the holiday shipment typically being the largest. Since the inception of the program in 2009, the firm has packed more than 2,400 boxes to be sent across the world, reaching thousands of service members.

Lisa began the program when her son was serving in the U.S. Marines and deployed to Iraq. He told her that many of his fellow servicemen were not receiving care packages or mail. Lisa was inspired and has been coordinating shipments to service members of family and friends of the firm ever since. This shipment, however, will be her last as she is retiring at the end of January.

This year, RK sponsored the Orlando Museum of Art Festival of the Trees Military Day and Lisa attended the event. She shared that she spoke with a Marine who remembers the boxes he received when he was deployed to Beruit.  She also spoke with one of the service people on the U.S.S. Ford recently who said they really liked the sports boxes we shipped in October.

“The soccer balls especially were a big hit and they are looking forward to the holiday boxes,” she said. “We do a good thing and I’m thankful for all who have supported this outreach program to help make it a huge success.”

 “Lisa might be retiring in January, but we fully intend to continue keeping the troop shipment program going because it has become such an important and personal way our firm can support our service members who are far from home,” said Frank Sheppard, RumbergerKirk managing partner. “Just like with all of our other shipments, once one is out the door, we begin collecting for the next. It’s a well-oiled machine and we have Lisa to thank for that.”