Christmas Comrades No. 192 brings Colfax together to spread holiday joy

American Legion Post 192 Colfax, in partnership with Union Pacific Railroad, invites the community to Christmas Comrades No. 192: Come Stuff the Train on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Union Pacific parking lot behind the Colfax Heritage Railroad Museum. The free, family-friendly celebration will feature Union Pacific No. 1943, The Spirit, as the centerpiece of a community-wide effort to fill the train with gifts and messages of appreciation for veterans and active-duty service members. Created and spearheaded by Elizabeth De Maagd, First Vice Commander of American Legion Post 192 and a U.S. Air Force Security Police veteran, Christmas Comrades began as a community partnership project for a project management certification. What started as a pilot program sending holiday gifts to active-duty troops overseas quickly grew into a mission to reach more service members and veterans through the generosity of their hometown communities. "I created this program because I know how much joy and appreciation can mean when you're away from your family and friends during the holidays. Sometimes, a small gift, a handwritten card or a reminder that your hometown remembers you can make a tremendous difference. I wanted our veterans and active-duty service members to feel that they are valued, loved and never forgotten," said De Maagd. "This is about more than gifts. It's about bringing a little piece of home to those who have given so much for us." The initiative grew from a simple but powerful reminder that even a child's handwritten card can bring hope to a service member experiencing a difficult moment. De Maagd envisioned a community-wide holiday effort that would turn gratitude into action. That vision became a partnership with Union Pacific, whose commemorative No. 1943 locomotive honors the U.S. Armed Forces. Peggy Ygbuhay, Senior Director of Public Affairs for Union Pacific, shared, "This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes from veterans and a community that values service. At Union Pacific, we're proud of our veteran employees and grateful for the opportunity to support programs like Christmas Comrades No. 192 that bring people together to honor those who have served our nation." "Union Pacific has taken care of our military from the moment soldiers stepped onto their trains in service to our nation, to the moment they stepped forward as veterans returning home," De Maagd added. Therefore, she felt that Union Pacific would be the perfect partnership for Christmas Comrades No.192. The Nov. 8 event will include Santa, games, crafts, food, music, a children's holiday bike-decorating contest and a bike parade. Community members are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped gifts to help "Stuff the Train." Veterans attending the event are encouraged to seek out De Maagd to be added to the Christmas Comrades No. 192 JOY List, helping strengthen connections with veterans in the community and identify opportunities to connect them with resources. The event will feature the Citrus Heights Vet Center Mobile Unit with resources and benefits information, the Placer County Veterans Office for veterans' services information, and Union Pacific's UP Vets program, offering workforce development and career opportunity information for veterans.