Fifteen Students from the Support Our Troops club, La Salle College Preparatory School, Pasadena, Calif., came to Fort Irwin Nov. 4, 2023, to help U.S. Army Soldiers, families and community members decorate the town center.
This is the 12th year students from the club have come to help hang wreaths and lights, paint holiday-themed murals on the storefront windows and help decorate the town center Christmas tree.
Alumni director and club adviser Kristen Schultz says the Support Our Troops club grows in size every year and the students are delighted to make the trip to help “spruce up” the town center for the holidays.
“The kids just love this,” Schultz said. “This has become a part of our Christmas and it’s just one way the Support Our Troops club gives back to the community.”
Schultz explained the club works all school year to support Troops, veterans, and military and Gold Star families through various activities and fundraisers, including the donation of Thanksgiving food boxes and Christmas trees to the Fort Irwin community.
Club president Avery Kachmauski, a La Salle Prep. senior, has been traveling to Fort Irwin for a few years now.
“We really love coming here to spread a little holiday cheer and we love seeing all the friendly, smiling faces here every year,” Kachmauski said. “It’s just one small way we can give back to the Soldiers who do so much for us and for our freedoms.”