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Si Tenenberg, local veteran and founder of troopcarepacks.org, passes away

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Posted at 11:01 AM, Feb 08, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-09 13:03:03-05

Si Tenenberg, the founder of a local organization that sent thousands of care packages to U.S. military members deployed overseas, has passed away.

Tenenberg was a Marine veteran who served in the Korean War.

Fifteen years ago, working out of his own home, he started his Care Packages for Troops mission, sending more than 23,000 boxes of full of supplies to troops overseas.

For several years, KSBY hosted community pickups for Tenenberg's troop care packs campaign until COVID-19 put a halt on in-person events. But the pandemic didn't affect Si's passion for helping our servicemembers.

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Si Tenenberg at a troop box pick-up event at KSBY on May 23, 2019.

"We just have to keep our guys knowing that we support them being over there and the only way I know how to do that is to write them letters, cards and send them boxes," Tenenberg told KSBY News in 2020.

In November 2021, Welcome Home Military Heroes hosted a surprise drive-by celebration to honor Tenenberg for his commitment to the troops.

"The more organizations that can help our veterans and our troops the better it will be for this world," Tenenberg said, adding he hoped future generations would carry on his project.

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow posted a tribute to Tenenberg on his Facebook page Tuesday morning.