Last week, Sunset Chevrolet in Sumner found a way to thank the thousands of Joint Base Lewis-McChord single Servicemembers who redeploy to the area and return to an empty barracks room when it donated $2,000 toward The Single Soldier Project.

The project, which began as an Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) endeavor to ensure that every returning single Soldier and Airman receives a gift basket, has been going strong for more than a year and is furthered by the help of unit Family Readiness Groups (FRG).

The gift baskets, which cost an average of $11 each, are typically filled with snacks and toiletries as a welcome home gift and a thank you to returning Servicemembers who don't have families on hand to welcome them home.

"This takes some of the fundraising stress off of our shoulders," said Ken Swarner, president of the AUSA DuPont subchapter, which has recently taken on the challenge of managing the Single Soldier Project.

The check for $2,000 was presented to Swarner and Carlene Joseph, president of the Captain Meriwether Lewis AUSA chapter, as well as representatives from the Army and Air Force at JBLM.

"I think it is great that they are giving so much back," said Chief Master Sgt.  Johnny Victory, who was on hand to represent the Air Force.

The dealership is working on a plan to donate to the Single Soldier Project on a monthly basis, said Cristi Acuna, Sunset's CRC director. "We are donating this to them, no strings attached," she said. "Our goal is just to help out the cause and make them feel appreciated."

Sunset Chevrolet is located at 900 Traffic Avenue in Sumner.