The “Making Spirits Bright” (MSB) fundraising carnival initiated by Teresa Lee, a director of the Walnut Valley Water District (WVWD), was held recently in the parking lot at 1300 Valley Vista in Diamond Bar. The organizers prepared fine wines and gourmet food, and all donations from the day were given to the families of military personnel stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) in 29 Palms.
Teresa Lee and her husband, Diamond Bar Mayor Eugene Tang, prepared beverages, BBQ, and other delicacies for the event held last Saturday (26th). To make the event more engaging, they also arranged outdoor activities such as lawn games.
WVWD is located in the city of Walnut in Orange County, Southern California. At the carnival, the President of the “Community Safety Everyone’s Responsibility” Foundation (TACF), Miss Guan Yixiu, representing the community, donated $2,000 to the MSB to show support for the stationed troops at 29 Palms. In the end of last year, MSB delivered holiday gifts to 170 young soldiers and officers’ families at 29 Palms and Camp Pendleton Naval Base.
Through the MSB project, compassionate individuals in the community can donate money and items to fulfill the wish lists of these lower-ranking military families. They often wish for some basic necessities such as strollers, cribs, diapers, high chairs, hygiene products, t-shirts, tools, household items, and toys. These families are delighted to receive the gifts, and the members of the MSB project are deeply gratified by this.
MSB also provides emergency assistance funds for these families (also known as the fuel card program). Since the small hospital at the 29 Palms Marine Corps base cannot handle more severe cases, active duty personnel and their families sometimes need to go to the Palm Springs Medical Center or the Joshua Tree Hospital for intensive care.
The program aims to help them cover the transportation costs to the hospitals. The funds can also be used for dining and lodging at charitable organizations like the “Ronald McDonald House.”
Military personnel serving at 29 Palms sometimes risk their lives to defend their country, yet it is understood that their salary is below the federal average, with a monthly net income of around $1,300 to $1,600. For junior Marines, supporting a family of four is nearly below the poverty line. The MSB project hopes to show the importance of men and women in the military through donations of love.