Lake Elsinore Storm Stadium MilVet Packaging Event
By Mia Rotell
Rows of foldable tables were lined up outside Storm Stadium’s Taproom. The tables were piled high with dozens of boxes of cookies, mounds of candy, and nuts. The hygiene and nonfood table even featured playing cards, toothbrushes, and notebooks.
Dozens of volunteers gathered to listen to live music and pack boxes full of snacks and toiletries for deployed service members. Some volunteers also wrote letters to include in the care packages.
Last Saturday, Lake Elsinore’s Storm Stadium hosted one of MilVet’s biggest events of the year: its military care package packing event.
“MilVet sends more than 200 boxes to our deployed service members,” said Raven Hilden, founder of MilVet, about the organization’s largest military packing event of the year. “Some boxes are shared by an entire unit.”
Hilden said some boxes are sent both to individual service members, and military units where multiple men and women share the contents.
The event included sandwiches and pizza for all volunteers. A raffle also gave attendees the chance to win game tickets and various gift baskets filled with dog toys, summer water toys and other prizes.
“I was in the Marine Corps for 30 years,” Felix Mala said. It was the first time he and his wife, Michelle Mala, had helped set up the MilVet event.
Felix said he and his wife have volunteered with MilVet for the past two years, but this was their first time participating in the Storm Stadium event.
“What attracts us to MilVet is that it’s 100% free for veterans and active-duty service members,” he said.
Storm Stadium has hosted the MilVet event multiple years, according to Hilden.
“We’ve done this about three or four times,” she said.
Andres Pegan, financial chief for Storm Stadium, said the organization enjoys supporting the event.
“This is one of the events that we as a staff come together for and bring our energy to,” Pegan said. “It’s about giving back to the community, especially to the men and women who serve.”
The next MilVet packing event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. July 16 at 33040 Antelope Road, Suite 114, Murrieta, CA 92563. For more information, call or text 951-902-9681.
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