Care packages en route to HMCS Fredericton

A little piece of home is making its way to the crew of HMCS Fredericton.

The Halifax & RegionMilitary Family Resource Centrefilled hundreds of care packagesfilled with goodies and keepsakes to send to each crew member. The boxes areexpected to arrive within the month.

"The feeling that we want to give them iswe're thinking of them," said Sarah-Jean Mannette, the public relations co-ordinator for the centre. "We are proud to be Canadian we're grateful for all that they do."

Six crew members of the Halifax-based vessel died in a helicopter crash off the coast of Greece last month. The victims were Capt. Kevin Hagen, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, Capt. Brenden Ian MacDonald, Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins, Sub-Lt. Matthew Pykeand Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin.

HMCSFredericton is part a NATO training mission in the Mediterranean Sea.

"Because of the incident on board, there's that extra desire to want to help in an extra tough time," Mannette said.

"... One of the goalsis to boost their [morale] and to let them know they're not alone and we're with them."

The boxes were put together on Friday.

"It was such a wonderful experience," Mannette said. "Our centre is currently shut down [due to COVID-19]. Unfortunately, we don't get to interact with military families like we would normally like to and we don't get to interact with staff."

Each package contains chocolate from Peace by Chocolate, maple candies from Acadian Maple Products, a Nova Scotia tartan pin, a mini Canadian flag, McDonald's coffee pods and a handwritten card.

Manette said she hopes the packages will provide aboost to the crew.

"It's really just to have a little taste from home and some comfort, a hug, kindness," she said.

Families of the crew members back home are also getting a $50 gift card to Kitchen Door, a mealservice based in Dartmouth.