Heartfelt Support From Those on Home Soil
By Corey Lyons
Contra Costa Newspapers
March 31, 2003
For the U.S. troops battling fierce sandstorms or engaged in gritty firefights in a distant war, few things beat the familiar and coveted comforts of home.
A heartfelt letter. A pack of smokes. Lip balm. A disposable razor. A box of cookies.
Or anything else to underscore that "homeland" support is flowing for the hundreds of thousands of camouflage-clad men and women deployed to Iraq.
As the war grinds on, a growing movement of support is sweeping the Bay Area and the nation to help sustain the troops and lift their spirits.
"Sure, people are protesting the war -- but I feel that a majority honor and respect those citizens out defending us," said Pelton Stewart, executive director of Continentals of Omega Boys & Girls Club in Vallejo.
The club played host to a special event Sunday to recognize service members and their families.
From Operation Dear Abby to Operation Thin Mint, a Girl Scout cookie drive, folks are sending their packages and prayers. Over and over.
So far, more than 11 million people have signed an electronic "thank you" card at Defend America, an online newsletter by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Wednesday, the department launched "On the Homefront," a resource network for those who want to support the troops and the families they left behind.
In San Diego, a huge Girl Scout cookie drive steered 113,000 boxes to the Persian Gulf last year.
Residents there have already donated 150,000 boxes this year -- shipped in refrigerated containers to beat the smoldering heat.
"It was meant to be a one-time thing. But the response has been amazing," said Karen Cerveny, spokeswoman for the Girl Scout Council San Diego-Imperial County.
Other efforts are just getting off the ground.
In Concord, a Christian school is participating in a project that promises to send personalized postcards to service members in the Middle East.
"War can be scary for children. We're trying to shed light on something more positive," said Catherine Mikes, principal at King's Valley Christian School.
Police and fire dispatchers in Benicia last week kicked off a donation drive dubbed Support Our Troops.
The 10-person group has put together a list of items being sought for individual service members: baby wipes, bar soap, sun block, chewing gum, underwear, flashlights, electrical tape.
The Defense Department no longer allows the public to send mail addressed to "any soldier."
Instead, the department recommends visiting the special Web site www.defendamerica.mil for ways to help.
Benicia dispatchers, though, are trying to obtain specific addresses from the families of the local soldiers deployed so they can send the donated items to them.
Perhaps few have had as much singular influence for troop support as Pamela Bates, of Fort Benning, Ga.
Bates, 38, launched an Adopt-A-Soldier Web site dubbed "Hugs to Kuwait" on Jan. 4 -- two days before her husband departed for the Middle East.
She was concerned about her husband, Sgt. Daniel Bates, an artilleryman in the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, and also worried about how she would fare while he was gone.
So she started the site, which allows folks to "adopt" soldiers, to whom they can send letters or items like beef jerky and prepaid calling cards.
So far, 90,000 requests have come in from all over the globe, with 46,000 soldiers adopted. No more requests are being accepted.
"By the time we fill all the requests, we'll be out of soldiers," said Bates.
Contra Costa Newspapers
March 31, 2003
For the U.S. troops battling fierce sandstorms or engaged in gritty firefights in a distant war, few things beat the familiar and coveted comforts of home.
A heartfelt letter. A pack of smokes. Lip balm. A disposable razor. A box of cookies.
Or anything else to underscore that "homeland" support is flowing for the hundreds of thousands of camouflage-clad men and women deployed to Iraq.
As the war grinds on, a growing movement of support is sweeping the Bay Area and the nation to help sustain the troops and lift their spirits.
"Sure, people are protesting the war -- but I feel that a majority honor and respect those citizens out defending us," said Pelton Stewart, executive director of Continentals of Omega Boys & Girls Club in Vallejo.
The club played host to a special event Sunday to recognize service members and their families.
From Operation Dear Abby to Operation Thin Mint, a Girl Scout cookie drive, folks are sending their packages and prayers. Over and over.
So far, more than 11 million people have signed an electronic "thank you" card at Defend America, an online newsletter by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Wednesday, the department launched "On the Homefront," a resource network for those who want to support the troops and the families they left behind.
In San Diego, a huge Girl Scout cookie drive steered 113,000 boxes to the Persian Gulf last year.
Residents there have already donated 150,000 boxes this year -- shipped in refrigerated containers to beat the smoldering heat.
"It was meant to be a one-time thing. But the response has been amazing," said Karen Cerveny, spokeswoman for the Girl Scout Council San Diego-Imperial County.
Other efforts are just getting off the ground.
In Concord, a Christian school is participating in a project that promises to send personalized postcards to service members in the Middle East.
"War can be scary for children. We're trying to shed light on something more positive," said Catherine Mikes, principal at King's Valley Christian School.
Police and fire dispatchers in Benicia last week kicked off a donation drive dubbed Support Our Troops.
The 10-person group has put together a list of items being sought for individual service members: baby wipes, bar soap, sun block, chewing gum, underwear, flashlights, electrical tape.
The Defense Department no longer allows the public to send mail addressed to "any soldier."
Instead, the department recommends visiting the special Web site www.defendamerica.mil for ways to help.
Benicia dispatchers, though, are trying to obtain specific addresses from the families of the local soldiers deployed so they can send the donated items to them.
Perhaps few have had as much singular influence for troop support as Pamela Bates, of Fort Benning, Ga.
Bates, 38, launched an Adopt-A-Soldier Web site dubbed "Hugs to Kuwait" on Jan. 4 -- two days before her husband departed for the Middle East.
She was concerned about her husband, Sgt. Daniel Bates, an artilleryman in the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, and also worried about how she would fare while he was gone.
So she started the site, which allows folks to "adopt" soldiers, to whom they can send letters or items like beef jerky and prepaid calling cards.
So far, 90,000 requests have come in from all over the globe, with 46,000 soldiers adopted. No more requests are being accepted.
"By the time we fill all the requests, we'll be out of soldiers," said Bates.
posted by Corey at 4:10 PM
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