BREWER, Maine — From Maine blueberries to whoopie pies, and Moxie—those are just a few of the items found in a "Box of Maine."
For four years, Box of Maine, which is located in Brewer, has made it its mission to create and send care packages to active duty military service members during the holiday season.
"We just decided to take those items and put it in a box and give it to the soldiers," Joseph Finnemore, operations manager at Box of Maine said.
With the help of local businesses and other donations, they were able to send almost 200 care packages last year as part of the Sponsor a Maine Soldier Box program.
"We want to be able to pack Maine up in a box and send it to as many people as we can across the whole world," Daniel Finnemore, owner of Box of Maine, said.
Over the past few years, they have sent boxes to active duty military service members in places as far as Japan. This year, they are hoping to send 400 boxes to active duty service members before Thanksgiving to give them a little piece of home.
"They can open it up, it doesn't have to be on Christmas Day exactly, and they are going to get to them around Christmas time, and its going to give them some joy and happiness," Joseph said.
That is something Katherine Ford who is currently serving in the army and stationed in Colorado felt when she first opened her box.
"Having like that small token that small thing sent to you just can bring you out of really hard place and that's a beautiful thing," Ford said.
This year, they are putting a spin on their military care packages.
Box of Maine will have local veterans coming in on Wednesday Nov. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help put together holiday care packages for members on active duty to create a meaningful connection between those who have served and those currently on active duty.
"Its a continuation. It's growing up in the state, its seeing these items, and then the continuation of the generations loving these items as well," Joseph said.
If you would like to support the Sponsor a Maine Soldier Box program, you can click here.