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A student in Lynn Tompitch’s
sixth-grade class holds stickers that students in her class at
Bay Lane Middle School in Muskego received from members of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7221 on Tuesday. The class is
writing letters to troops serving overseas.
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A student in Lynn Tompitch’s
sixth-grade class at Bay Lane Middle School in Muskego listen to
writing instructions from members of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post 7221 on Tuesday. The class is writing letters to
troops serving overseas.
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MUSKEGO -
Rarely does the thought of writing a letter stir excitement in adults,
much less students. But sixth-graders at Bay Lane Middle School are
psyched to write.
"I think it will be fun," said Trevor Witkowiak. "I’ll
ask how the weather is."
His classmate, Erika Bennetts, wants to know something else.
"If he has a bedtime," she said.
Witkowiak and Bennetts are in Lynn Tompitch’s class and are going
to be writing letters to the Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines,
4th Marine Division. The unit was adopted through the Veterans of
Foreign Wars Adopt-A-Unit program by VFW Mukwonago Post 7221 and the
Genesee Depot Post 5270.
Commander of Mukwonago Post 7221 Richard Kuske and Adopt-A-Unit
Chairman and Mukwonago post member Jim Paar visited the class Tuesday.
"We know what it’s like to be away from home and in a
situation like these gentlemen are and not being able to get the mail on
a regular basis," Paar told the students. "You can’t just
run and pick up the phone and talk to your kids.
"These letters from you will be very, very important. It will
give them an idea that the community is behind you. It will make their
day a lot better."
Paar explained to the students that the letters don’t need to be
long and can simply ask the troops what’s going on.
"The biggest thing is to put an address on each page," he
said.
Paar explained an address is needed so that the troops can write
back. Students were told to use the school’s address as their return
address. If the Marine and student should become pen pals, then the
student can send the Marine his or her home address.
Tompitch views the letter writing program as a win-win situation.
"It’s to everybody’s benefit," she said. "The kids
are going to benefit because they are always looking for ways to serve
the community or to honor the people in the military. It’s real hard
at this age to do that. This is a wonderful way to show respect and
honor to those who serve our country."
AT A GLANCE
What: letter writing campaign to
the Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine
Division
When: until they return. They are
scheduled to serve in Iraq for one year.
Where: The Mukwonago Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post 5270 will pick up letters from schools and
send them to the Marines.
More information: If you would
like to start a letter writing program to the Marines, contact
Jim Paar at (414) 529-2229. |
Kelly Gilbert can be reached at kgilbert@conleynet.com.
Hope Ragan, wife of USMC Sgt. Ragan of Oceanside, NY was recently interviewed
in the Oceanside Herald about the excitement our troops feel
when letters and packages arrive from home. She said many troops
walk away empty handed. I asked her what I could do to help
and what would make their day. She said "it would mean so very
much to our troops to receive something from you all. Packages
have to be plain brown box with a customs form attached they
have them at the post office and will help you fill it out.
Hope lists the most requested items:
- Cookies (any kind they
love cookies) :)
- Candy that won't melt
- baby wipes
- magazines
(fitness ones are a favorite)
- trial size mouthwash and toothpaste
- toothburushes
- postcards from anywhere
- crossword puzzles or
word finds
- Board Games
- Books
- Dvd's
- Any kind of snack food
(chips, pretzels, cheese puffs, etc..)
- Of course, letters,
letters and more letters!
You can send letters and Packages to:
"Letters For Marines " C/O Sgt Ragan 3/1 H&S Co S-2 UIC
40220 Fpo Ap 96426-0220 OR "Letters For Marines" C/O
Cpl Alwin 3/1 H&S Co Headquarters Plt UIC 40220 Fpo Ap 96426-0220
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email
Hope. She is currently back on Camp Pendleton.
Thank you again!!! Hope Ragan |