Christmas Drop Still On

From PDN:

“Operation Christmas Drop isn't canceled”

While there were requests from portions of Federated State of Micronesia governments not to drop bundles on their shores this year, Operation Christmas Drop isn't canceled.  A report Tuesday that the Federated States of Micronesia had "canceled" the traditional Christmas Drop over portions of Micronesia wasn't entirely a surprise to Anthony Biecheler, who leads the organization that collects and packages up the goods for the annual event.  But Biecheler, an Air Force master sergeant, said the report hit many hard.  "We've had this outpouring of people — people who have signed up for the (Christmas Drop) box building, supporters that have donated monetarily, supporters who have donated physical goods are saying, 'Hey, what the hell are you talking about, you canceled Christmas Drop? And I'm saying, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa, time out.'" "This is it's 69th year. It's still happening. Our organization perseveres through these kind of things," Biecheler said.

Biecheler said Palau is anxious to see Air Force planes overhead. "Right now we're lined up to drop 60 to 75 bundles across the Republic of Palau, six islands. That hasn't changed. We're 100% on board with that," Biecheler said. "And while we can't drop aid to the FSM islands, there are the stranded Micronesians from the FSM who are here on Guam and we're providing aid to them directly. So while we can't drop it on their shores, we can definitely help out their people here on Guam, clothing, food and supplies for Christmas," he said. Biecheler said the schedule hasn't changed, starting with building boxes for the bundles to be dropped and building up to the first flight on Dec. 6.  "I believe that if the Air Force thought in any way we were going to drop COVID to an island, they would cancel the whole thing, but the amount of COVID mitigation we're doing during the bundle builds, to let all these things sit for days and days, there would be time for any (virus) to die off, Biecheler said.   Efforts to contact the FSM public information officer in Pohnpei for further information were unsuccessful. Teresa M. Filepin, FSM Consul General also didn't return repeated calls.

^ It’s good that this tradition will continue even if not exactly the same. ^

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/2020/12/01/operation-christmas-drop-guam-isnt-canceled/3789614001/