USS Vicksburg Sailors Lend A Hand

The idea for the project developed while planning for the recent UNCLASS LAN upgrade. With the Navy Cash system down, the Ship Servicemen wanted to use their extra time to give back to the Mayport area community. Word quickly spread around the ship and the rest of the command joined in to create a work force that easily handled all the odd-end jobs that Mission House needed accomplished.

Although the Sailors were there to provide assistance, they also took something away.

"I feel like I'm really doing something valuable with my time here," commented Ship's Serviceman Seaman Stephen Presutti.

By the end of the afternoon, Vicksburg Sailors had helped prepare lunch, moved and sorted the recently donated food, cleaned the lawn and parking lot, and given haircuts to over a dozen of the shelter's customers.

The event also kicked off Vicksburg's weeklong donation drive for the shelter, which will provide all of the crew and their families an opportunity to be involved. However, the relationship between the Vicksburg and Mission House will not end there, with many of the Sailors looking forward to going back next month to help around the shelter with more cooking, cleaning, and painting.