Fort Drum children receive presents

FORT DRUM — On Saturday, thousands of presents were handed out to children of soldiers.

Not because it’s Christmastime, but because Marc R. Badeau wants them to know the sacrifice of having a parent deployed is appreciated.

Four years ago, Mr. Badeau founded Operation Tribute, an organization that collects and distributes gifts to children on military installations throughout the Northeast.

“I have no military background. I actually used to work out of two offices, one in North Carolina and one in New York,” Mr. Badeau said. “My son would always ask if I’d be at his soccer games and the look of disappointment in his eyes when I couldn’t make it, I just couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t imagine what was going through the minds of children who had a parent deployed overseas.”

He said he looked to volunteer with an organization that dealt with handling those types of sacrifices, but could not find one.

So he started his own.

“We are an appreciation-based program,” he said. “We’re not a need-based program. The same level of anxiety is running through all the families who have a loved one deployed.”

Mr. Badeau started the program in Maine in 2007. More than 7,000 presents were sent out that year.

Letters of thanks came flooding in after the first season and the idea to expand to other military installations was born.

“I was getting letters that said these small gifts were life- changing for some of the kids,” he said. “We were helping the kids recognize the importance of what they are doing, what they are sacrificing, not having a parent around all the time.”

In 2009, the program was brought to New Jersey, and last year, to Fort Drum.

This year, close to 35,000 gifts will be distributed, including 2,000 to Fort Drum.

“Our goal is to be national within five years,” he said.

Each child, from newborn up to age 16, is given a new toy and a book.

Corporate sponsors are a major source of help financially, Mr. Badeau said.

One major sponsor is Martin’s Point Health Care, which offers a Tricare prime health option for families of active-duty soldiers and retired veterans in the Fort Drum area.