Operation Santa Underway

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By WEEK Producer

Story Published: Nov 9, 2009 at 5:41 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 9, 2009 at 7:20 PM CST

Volunteers began stuffing a record 35–thousand stockings for soldiers serving over–seas in Peoria Monday morning. In its fifth year Operation Santa is bigger than ever.

Peoria native, Patti Smith started the program when her son, Josey, was serving in Iraq over Christmas.

Over the last four years, the non–profit organization has sent 70–thousand Christmas stockings to troops overseas.

Josey will be home this Christmas, but says the stockings mean so much to the soldiers overseas.

"It is hard to describe to people because we're there all the time, don't have any days off, 24/7, non–stop. Any support is nice but to get a letter or card is great and then to get a whole stocking is like your own little Christmas," said Josey Wenger.

So far this year, volunteers have spent 19–thousand hours sewing stockings.

The goal is to have all 35–thousand stockings stuffed– and shipped– by the week of thanksgiving.

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