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Bernie Ramirez is on a mission.
As the commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242, where he has been a member for 15 years, Ramirez knows a thing or two on how to lead and get the mission done. That’s especially true when it involves delivering snacks, or gedunks, as they’re known to the troops.
For the last nine years, he has led a small cadre of fellow vets and volunteers to purchase and distribute care packages to active-duty, deployed service members.
Three or four times a year, he rounds up volunteers who come to the Veterans Memorial Building in Hollister to fill boxes with a wide assortment of comfort foods, along with books, magazines, socks, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Ramirez comes by his affection and dedication to the troops naturally, having served as a soldier in Vietnam. As post commander, he continues to lead the mostly well-seasoned Vietnam-era vets and as time goes by, younger veterans who served during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
“The first time we started, we had only 10 boxes,” he said while helping oversee a care package effort at the Vets building on Dec. 2. “Today, we’re shipping 107 boxes.”
He said the boxes of goodies are paid for through various fundraisers, including an annual golf tournament that also supports the post’s high school scholarship program. He said this time the post spent $1,000 on the items included in the boxes. Each one costs $20 to mail.
“We also accept donations,” he said, “but most of the money comes from the fundraisers. The volunteers were great. Many came all the way from San Jose to help.”
Rather than advertise to raise money, Ramirez depends on word-of-mouth to attract donations and volunteers, as well as advice on who the boxes will be sent to.
“I send word out to people in the community, and they send me the names of people in the service who are deployed,” he said. “There are 90 in Poland that we’ll be sending packages to. I have one guy that we’ll be sending 20 boxes for him to distribute. And we have a young man in Korea we’re sending five boxes to so he can give them out.”
In one instance, Ramirez said 30 boxes were sent to a sailor at sea to share with his shipmates. What really makes his day, though, is when he hears back from the troops about how much they appreciate the packages.
“Sometimes they take pictures and send them to me in thanks,” he said. “I share them with the volunteers and the schools because sometimes we include letters from the kids to the soldiers and sailors.”
One young Air Force member wrote to Bernie: “My name is Austin Hansen from Montana. I recently received your care package through the VFW and wanted to express my gratitude. I have shared with the rest of my airmen who are currently deployed in the Middle East with me. Hoping you and your family are safe. Thank you so much.”
Dao Nguyen, who was a political refugee in 1975 after the Vietnam War and came from Hayward to help with the care packages, said she is grateful to the U.S. military. “It is so important that we show our troops how much we think of them, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help out. This is just my way of paying back.”
Meanwhile, Ramirez wants people to know that the post will be shipping out care packages again in three to four months in case they want to donate or volunteer their time.
“We do this to hopefully put a smile on these service members’ faces because during the holidays is probably the hardest time, not just for them, but for their families,” he said. “We just want to see if we can do a little bit to help out.”
Ramirez said that anyone who wants to volunteer their time or help fund the effort can call him at 831-902-7811 or email him at bpgramirez@gmail.com.
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