In remembrance of 9/11, HandsOn Santa Clarita and volunteers used their Saturday to assemble dozens of care packages to show gratitude to first responders and military service members.

Care-package assembly was one of several volunteer service projects organized throughout the city a part of HandsOn Santa Clarita, to honor those who served or died because of 9/11.

“It’s a great idea to remember 9/11 and those who served in 9/11, especially the first responders,” said Barbara Boliver, who has volunteered for the event for six years, “and to remind each other and remind ourselves that first responders are there for us and have had to sacrifice their lives.”

Partnered with Operation Gratitude for the first time, volunteers at the American Legion outpost in Newhall assembled packages to spread around the world to armed forces deploying overseas, first responders serving communities around the U.S. and to Hurricane Harvey and Irma survivors.

“We’re packing all kinds of toiletries, deodorants, towelettes, mouthwash, lotions, 5 hour Energy’s, energy bars,” said Joanne Coller, a volunteer representing Operation Gratitude. “Just all kinds of things first responders need when they’re deployed and helping out our country.”

The volunteers had assembled up to 30 packages for first responders by 9:20 a.m., and up to 40 for overseas military.

Operation Gratitude has been distributing packages since 2003, and December 2017 will mark the assembly of their 2 millionth package, according to Coller.

“In (December 2013), we did the ‘Millionth Package Assembly’ celebration, and in four years, we’re doing another million packages,” said Coller.

The packaging also stemmed an opportunity for volunteers as young as 8 years old to garner some community service hours, and show gratitude in ways they hadn’t before.

Layla Sherzada-Paynter, 8, creates notes for first responders and military service members. Photo by Mauricio La Plante/KHTS Radio.

“Helping those who need it is really important. A lot of people my age feel like the world is just about themselves,” said Morelia Robles, 15, a Saugus High School student volunteering at the event. “I feel if people volunteer they kind of get to open their eyes … and realize that there’s other people who need help out there in the world, especially these first responders who they take care of us without us realizing it.”

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