During the 2011 Holiday season the Parkland HS Matadors Army JROTC Battalion conducted its annual can food drive and clothes/ toy drive. Every year the 4th Battalion asks its Cadets to bring in can food items and new or gently used clothes or toys as part of a community service project. All the 4th Battalion Cadets were able to contribute and provide help to our community during the holidays. In return the cadets receive community service hours for their donations and although there is a limit on the amount of hours they can received, that never stops our cadets. It seems that every year the amount of items donated grows larger and larger. Even after the Cadets have reached the maximum amount of service hours allowed, they still continue to bring in donations.

During Thanksgiving, the 4th Battalion was able to donate over one thousand can food items to the downtown El Paso Veterans Home. During Christmas, the cadets did not limit themselves to toys or clothes; they brought in blankets, baby items and work really hard to bring in as many donations as possible before the deadline. The items were donated to the El Paso Rescue mission. Major Samuel Rosario and Sergeant First Class Ruben Marquez, the Matadors Battalion JROTC instructors, know that they can always count on their Cadets to provide help to our community and embrace the mission of the JROTC program of motivating young people to be better citizens. The 4th Battalion Cadets will be willing and prepared to help our community again during the 2012 holiday season.