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Hidden Hero . . .

operation: share joy

It goes without saying that the people and experiences in our lives are what inspire
who we are and what we do. For Aquinas junior Caty Collins, that could not be more

true. This past December, she brought Operation Share Joy – an annual holiday
tradition started at St. Rita’s school in Webster – to Aquinas.

hile the idea behind it came from St. Rita’s, Caty’s inspiration
Wto enliven Operation Share Joy here at Aquinas came from
her father, United States Air Force Colonel John Collins, Jr.

Growing up in a military family, Caty and her brothers – John ’20
and Michael ’17 –know what it’s like to be without a parent for
months at a time, worrying about their safety and praying for their
well-being. Caty’s father has been deployed three times throughout the two decided to expand the scope of Operation Share Joy and
her childhood which, according to Caty, never gets easier. She was in addition requested 5-hour energy drinks, gum, tabasco packets,
just a baby when he was deployed to the Pentagon following the hand warmers, Christmas lights, hand sanitizer, cough drops,
attacks on 9/11, but she remembers when he left for Iraq in 2004 toiletries, powdered drink mixes and beef jerky.
and when he was deployed again in 2011 to Afghanistan.
As far as who would receive the care packages fi lled with these
At the time, Caty was a items, Caty and Maddie turned to Aquinas’ Alumni Offi ce and
fourth grade student at St. its vast network of military alumni for contacts. It was their hope
Rita’s School in Webster to connect with an alumnus who could provide the addresses of
where she took part in deployed military personnel overseas. One alumnus they connected
Operation Share Joy, which with was Lieutenant Commander Austin Rasbach ’02, Civil
collected and sent candy to Engineer Corps Offi cer in the U.S. Navy. He knew immediately
the United States servicemen the tremendous impact Operation Share Joy would have on those
and women overseas. A deployed.
seemingly simple gesture,
but one that left a lasting “Everyone who volunteers to serve is well aware of the hardship
impression on Caty. it demands. Regardless, being away from family and friends
never comes easy, especially during the holidays,” he said. “Th ere
“Every time my dad has been deployed overseas, my family, is nothing like getting a care package in the middle of a diffi cult
friends and school have sent him and his base care packages,” Caty time to help remind you why you volunteered to serve.” Rasbach
gratefully recalled. “I just felt it was my time to give back to the men himself has been deployed three times since entering the Navy aft er
and women who serve our country.” graduating from Penn State in 2006.

So, with the help of friend and fellow classmate Maddie Campbell, While not currently deployed, LCDR Rasbach has many friends
4 AQUINAS LANDMARK | SPRING 2018