What a GREAT day!  On Saturday, December 15, more than 2,000 Operation Gratitude Volunteers joined to celebrate two special events: The assembly and shipment of our 900,000th Care Package and the presentation of the custom built Orange County Chopper to the recipient of the800,000th Care Package.

Surrounded by family members, cheering volunteers, and celebrity guests Urijah Faber (“The California Kid”-UFC), Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds), Erik Estrada (“Ponch” from CHiPs), and Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men),  a California National Guard Soldier accepted the motorcycle he first learned about in August when he received the Milestone package while deployed.

Spc. Samuel Mancilla, a motor transport operator assigned to the 1072nd Transportation Company, 378th CSSB, 10th Sustainment Brigade, who recently returned from Afghanistan, was visibly moved by the outpouring of respect and appreciation, and was thrilled to become the owner of the Chopper commissioned and…