Mark Smith (above) and South Korean Augmentees to the U.S. Army from Yongsan Garrison help deliver heating briquettes to a Seoul neighborhood as part of a volunteer project on Monday. (Photos courtesy of David McNally/U.S. Army)
Thirty-eight U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan volunteers spent a few hours this week delivering heating fuel to a small neighborhood in Seoul.
Hur Wook-dong, president of the Korean Foreigners Friendship Cultural Society, arranged the project to deliver the heating briquettes Monday to 10 households in the Gwanak District’s Chungnim neighborhood, according to a garrison news release.
He said the $615 worth of donations went to households with elderly and poor families.
The delivery was difficult, he said, because the alleyways were too narrow to allow a truck to get close to the site. So the volunteers — including U.S. and South Korean soldiers and civilians — formed a "human chain" to hand-deliver the more than 2,000 briquettes.
The fuel is used like charcoal to heat water pipes under floors of the older homes.
Dan Robledo, chief of the garrison’s information management office, was among the volunteers.
He said he recommends others take the opportunity to volunteer in the future.
"Because like any endeavor to help people, it makes you feel good," he said.
Hur, who has sponsored "good neighbor" events with the U.S. military, said it was the first time he asked for volunteers to assist with an off-base project.
"I was nothing but surprised, pleased and impressed to see the U.S. soldiers working so hard … to help the local people in need," he said.
Ku Mu-sul, 80, was one of the people who received briquettes, according to the release.
"Thank you, thank you," she told volunteers. "Now I can stay warm this winter."
Mark Smith (above) and South Korean Augmentees to the U.S. Army from Yongsan Garrison help deliver heating briquettes to a Seoul neighborhood as part of a volunteer project on Monday. (Photos courtesy of David McNally/U.S. Army)
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