SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (USTCNS) --- As we move through life, like the sun over the horizon, we can look back upon our youthful years and reflect on the good times we've had.

Some of those times include the holiday seasons where we share joy and laughter with our family and friends. The one holiday that has always symbolized the meaning of family was Christmas.

For those people not as fortunate to be able to share with family, sharing the season with dedicated volunteers may be the next best thing.

For several years, the 837th Transportation Battalion, Pusan, Korea, has sponsored annual Christmas parties for the Yangsan Orphanage, Yangsan, Korea. The Yangsan Orphanage houses approximately forty-five children ranging in ages from 2 to 22.

The only children that are permanently orphaned by their parents are under the age of three. The remaining children living there are under the foster care of the orphanage.

The reasoning for this situation is the families are not able to support the children, so they give them to the orphanage in hopes their living conditions some day will improve.

Until that day comes, the 837th takes on the responsibility to make the holiday season an enjoyable one for all the children.

As in previous years, the 837th presented the orphanage with a Christmas party. With the escort of soldiers, the children and staff of the orphanage were allowed to enter the gates of Camp Hialeah.

The event took place at the Religious Education Center on the camp where there were food, games, and lots of gifts. Each child was able to make his or her future wish to Santa Claus along with a photograph.

There was a mixture of their traditional Korean food and the American style pizza.

While interacting with the soldiers and Korean employees of the 837th, the children had a variety of games to participate in. The children under the age of six especially enjoyed the Christmas stories read to them in Hangul. Nothing could have topped it off better than to have cake while receiving their gifts.

All contributions for gifts were donated from local organizations along with fund raising by the soldiers. Enough money was raised to provide each child with an adequate gift and work towards an upgraded computer for the orphanage in the near future.

The joys of Christmas were shared with the children of the Yangsan Orphanage thanks to all the hard work from the soldiers and local nationals working at the 837th. (FROM 599TH TRANSPORTATION GROUP PUBLIC AFFAIRS).