A holiday tradition that started with 17 people putting together and sending care packages to soldiers overseas turned into an operation with more than 400 people helping out.

Jim Rathschmidt of United for Troops says he made it his mission to make sure all soldiers overseas had something to open during the holidays when his son told him a lot of soldiers he worked with in Iraq didn't have anything to open.

United for Troops packed over 1,000 boxes filled with toiletries and food this year.

Danny Potthast, a staff sergeant in the Air Force, says that the letters in the packages really brought holiday cheer to him and other soldiers when he served in Iraq in 2016.

Boxes will be sent to the Shrowbough Post Office Sunday at 7:30 a.m. On Monday, the boxes will be shipped out.