Project Rudolph brings holiday cheer to servicemembers


***image1***Two Boy Scouts, one from Ramstein and one from Idaho, are teaming up to help bring a little holiday cheer to servicemembers who might find themselves stuck in the airport over the Christmas holiday.

Jonathon Harnden, a student at Ramstein American High School, and Ian Archibald, a student at Oakley High School in Oakley, Idaho, are conducting a joint Eagle Scout project called Project Rudolph. The project aims to pass out gift bags to servicemembers and dependents in transit at the Ramstein passenger terminal. The project also hopes to bring cheer to injured and recovering servicemembers, those working on Christmas Day and other servicemembers who are unable to be with their families and will be spending the holidays in their barracks.

Each decorated gift bag will include an ornament, American and German sweets, two letters (one from a child and one from a teenager or adult) and a candy cane. The German portion of this project includes collecting donations of German candy, baked goods and letters written to servicemembers.

Donation boxes are at RAHS, Ramstein American Middle School, Ramstein Intermediate School and Ramstein American Elementary School. The donated items will be packaged and handed out primarily at the Ramstein terminal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to servicemembers who either are being deployed or returning from deployment. Cash donations will be used to purchase German candy.

•For more information, contact Jonathon Harnden at 06374-802361 during the evening or Tawny Campbell at 0160-9595-8908 or (208) 650-4041. Information is also available at www.projectrudolph.homestead.com.