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Project Mail Call boxes include letters, such as these greeting cards being made by a group of Brownies.

Profoundly affected by 9/11, Barrett Kulik (left) volunteers for various service projects, including two packing sessions.

Ed and Mary held their Christmas packing session on November 12, the deadline for overseas mailings.

While Lisa was an only child, her husband, Rick, had three siblings. They make family their top priority.

Coggin holds Brighton’s Heart Award, which the Peachtree Forum store won for adopting his troop in Afghanistan.

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One neighbor, Lu Kulik, reserved a packing session for her family. Lu’s son, Barrett, was so moved by the experience that he pitched the project to his 8th grade class at The Walker School. Barrett ended up organizing another session for 12 classmates. Not only did they collect donations prior to their October session, but they packed 25 boxes, including two full of treats, toys and blankets for K-9 units. “The Kulik family is very special,” says Ed. “Very nice people.”

Even though she lives in Marietta, Lu Kulik likes shopping at the Brighton Collectibles in Norcross. In a case of “great minds think alike,” that store’s manager, Kelley Maulin, also wanted to send care packages and was looking for a troop to adopt. Serendipitously, Lisa Duncan came into the store looking for military-themed charms one day.

Coggin's family is stationed in Germany.

As they were looking at the Patriotic Ribbon charm, Lisa revealed that her son, Coggin, was a second lieutenant in the army, serving in Afghanistan. His troop was in a remote location and often went without food for days. Lisa worried every night about her son’s well being and safety, especially when one of his best friends was killed in a humvee accident. Coggin was supposed to have been on that humvee, but had been pulled off of it at the last minute.

Kelley and her colleagues started collecting supplies for Coggin’s troop, and sent six boxes over the course of a year, until he finished his tour and was relocated to Germany in May. For their efforts, Kelley and her team won the Heart Award from Brighton, which included $5,000 that they could donate to charities of their choice. Coggin and his family visited the store when he was on leave last year to thank the staff personally for adopting his troop.

For the holidays, Lisa’s family will connect with Coggin via Skype before visiting him in Germany at year’s end. Mary and Ed will welcome their younger daughter, Alison, who will fulfill her company’s service obligation by packing care-boxes while she’s home. And Lu’s family, spanning four generations, will gather at their home to celebrate her grandson’s birthday on Christmas Eve. Three distinct families, connected by a remarkable sense of service -- with a quiet heroism, they exude the hope, giving and joy of the holiday season.