![A member of the Wish List program presented a box of cookies to a nursing home resident last year. [Photo courtesy of MCL 708]](https://www.hernandosun.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/marine-valentine8.png "marine valentine8")
On Valentines Day and throughout the year
Those of you who are regular readers of the Hernando Sun know that one of the missions of our local Marine Corps League (MCL) 708 is to help the less fortunate and the forgotten in our community, as well as spread cheer to everyone—young and not so young. Their annual Toys for Tots is one example. Another example is their annual Halloween Haunted Trail and Christmas Village.
Last Friday, being Valentine’s Day, they wanted to bring some cheer to the residents of a local assisted living facility. This gesture was part of their Wish List program−more about that later.
Sandra Creeger, Margie Ellison and Cindy Frank, members of the Marine Corps League Auxiliary, along with Kevin Hanson, chairman of the Wish List Committee, visited the Brooksville facility and gave roses to all the ladies and gentlemen there. Not real roses−chocolate ones. The residents were thrilled to be treated with such kindness.
In addition to the visit on Friday, the Wish List program distributes supplies on an annual basis to seven area nursing homes and ALFs (assisted living facilities). First, the volunteers with the program go to the facility, and residents fill out a form on which they give their three wishes. For example, one man wanted a Navy ball cap; another man was saving his money so he could eat at McDonald’s. One woman wanted a special kind of face soap. Another wanted slippers. Not all the recipients of these wishes are veterans. And this is just one way in which MCL 708 serves the entire community.
“The need is so great,” commented Hanson.
These forms are left at the facility for four weeks and then picked up. Then, the volunteers sort the forms.
The next step is to affix the forms to boxes that are placed at locations in the community, such as churches, offices of organizations, and community centers, similar to the Toys for Tots program. After about a month, the boxes are picked up and volunteers sort out the items.
Next, the articles are delivered to the nursing homes and ALFs. This year, they’ll be making the deliveries on July 21. They call it Christmas in July, and sometimes they even bring Christmas trees and decorate them. With just five months to complete the project, the Marine Corps League is looking for volunteers for all phases of the project.
Doranda Hinton with the Elks Club is organizing the sorting of the items. Organizations and businesses are helping out in various ways. For example, a local law firm will give free legal assistance to residents who want it, and an insurance agency will help with Medicare questions. The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is going to help with technical questions regarding Veterans benefits, and a local chiropractor is making arrangements for nursing home residents to come to their office for chiropractic care. The VFW 10209 Auxiliary is also helping out.
In addition, the Guardian Foundation—a 501 c 3 nonprofit corporation that sprang from Post 708, is paying for five different residents to go to the movies each month. They’re also going to have Pizza Night from time to time, a Bingo Bash, and a barbeque set up to cook hotdogs and hamburgers for the residents.
For more information and to assist this project in any way, such as having a box located in your business, volunteering to sort items, making deliveries to the nursing homes and ALFs, or donating articles on the residents’ wish lists, email Kevin Hanson at [email protected] or call 262-497-8958.
