ABINGDON, Va. ― Fifth-grade students from Cornerstone Christian Academy (CCA) brought some Christmas joy to nearly 500 veterans this holiday season by participating in a class service project known as Operation Blessing.

This marked the fourth year that CCA fifth-graders have participated in the outreach effort, which gives students an opportunity to collect, assemble and deliver care packages, also known as blessing bags, to veterans at the Mountain Home Veterans Affairs Medical Community in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Earlier this fall, CCA students began collecting donation items that included packaged snacks, hygiene products, puzzle books, handkerchiefs, socks and a smaller version of the book “Grace Under Fire,” which is a compilation of letters of faith from the battlefields of American history.   

“This is such a special project for our fifth-graders because it gives them a unique opportunity to express their love and appreciation for our veterans, who have given so much for us,” says Jessica Edwards, CCA’s fifth-grade instructor who also volunteers with Soldiers’ Angels, a national nonprofit that provides aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, their families, and the growing veteran population. “God provided exactly what we needed through students, parents, CCA families, local churches, local business and anonymous givers. We’re so grateful to the individuals and groups that contributed to this worthy cause so that our youth could go out and minister to our heroes.”  

Located in Abingdon, CCA is a classical, non-denominational Christian school serving students in junior kindergarten through 12th grade. In 2016, CCA received a five-year accreditation from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) for grades K-12. ACSI is one of 14 associations with accreditation processes that have been approved by the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) and recognized by the Virginia Board of Education. Accreditation through a VCPE-approved, state-recognized accrediting member guarantees the transfer of student-earned credits from a private school to a public school, and ensures recognition of teacher licensure credits for time served in an accredited private school.

For more information about CCA, visit www.cornerstoneabingdon.org.

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For more information, contact Dr. Clay Brinson,
head of school, at (276) 623-7164.