S. Sioux students pack boxes for 'adopted' soldiers
By Meagan Sextonmsexton@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Friday, November 21, 2008
SOUTH SIOUX CITY-- Tyler Rielly hasn't met the soldiers he's helping, but he feels as if he knows them.
On Thursday afternoon, Rielly, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, was among South Sioux City Middle School students who packaged snacks, magazines, personal hygiene items and letters they'd written as part of the Adopt A US Soldier program.
The school has "adopted" six soldiers deployed overseas. They are Ashley Sims of Minnesota, Liza Rodriguez of New York, Quintessa Nash of Pennsylvania, Thomas Dull of Arizona, Jason Everly of Iowa, Luis Meraz of Texas and Frank Rodriguez and J.T. Heckler, both of Florida.
Holly Mahaney, a family support worker with Lutheran Services in Iowa, said she got the soldiers' contact information from the Web site adoptaussoldier.org. The program matches volunteers with deployed military members who sign up to be involved.
Volunteers are asked to write letters or send care packages, but the level of participation is up to the volunteer.
Armando Gutierrez, 13, also an eighth-grader, said he thinks U.S. soldiers deserve a little something. " It's important because they're in war right now, fighting for our rights," he said.
The students collected toothbrushes, deodorant, toilet paper, baby wipes, Q-tips, toothpaste, books, magazines, crossword puzzles and nonperishable food items for their care packages.
"One thing the soldiers said they miss the most is chocolate," Mahaney said.
Mahaney said she, a few students and a teacher will take the packages to Siouxland Soldiers, a nonprofit organization that mails packages to military members, for shipping.
Giselle Cortes, 14, an eighth-grader, said she researched what it was like for the soldiers and wrote them letters filled with questions about what it's like in the Middle East.
"At first, I thought it was awkward, but now I realize it's to help them because some of them can't talk to their families," Cortes said.
These are the soldiers adopted by South Sioux City Middle School students
Pvt. Sims, Ashley
Home State: Minnesota
Deployed From: St. Paul, Minnesota
Gender: Female
Spc. Liza Rodriguez
Home State: New York
Deployed From: Fort Bliss, Texas
Gender: Female
RSGT Nash, Quintessa
Home State: Pennsylvania
Deployed From: Fort Bliss
Gender: Female
ITCS Thomas Dull
Home State: Arizona
Deployed From: Fort Riley
Gender: Male
Spc. Jason Everly
Home State: Iowa
Deployed From: Wiesbaden Germany
Gender: Male
Pfc. Meraz, Luis E.
Home State: Texas
Deployed From: Fort Campbell, Ky.
Gender: Male
Sgt. Frank Rodriguez
Home State: Florida
Deployed from: Fort Hood, Texas
Pfc. JT Heckler
Home State: Florida
Will deploy to Kuwait in June from Fort Riley, Kan.
On Thursday afternoon, Rielly, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, was among South Sioux City Middle School students who packaged snacks, magazines, personal hygiene items and letters they'd written as part of the Adopt A US Soldier program.
The school has "adopted" six soldiers deployed overseas. They are Ashley Sims of Minnesota, Liza Rodriguez of New York, Quintessa Nash of Pennsylvania, Thomas Dull of Arizona, Jason Everly of Iowa, Luis Meraz of Texas and Frank Rodriguez and J.T. Heckler, both of Florida.
Holly Mahaney, a family support worker with Lutheran Services in Iowa, said she got the soldiers' contact information from the Web site adoptaussoldier.org. The program matches volunteers with deployed military members who sign up to be involved.
Volunteers are asked to write letters or send care packages, but the level of participation is up to the volunteer.
Armando Gutierrez, 13, also an eighth-grader, said he thinks U.S. soldiers deserve a little something. " It's important because they're in war right now, fighting for our rights," he said.
The students collected toothbrushes, deodorant, toilet paper, baby wipes, Q-tips, toothpaste, books, magazines, crossword puzzles and nonperishable food items for their care packages.
"One thing the soldiers said they miss the most is chocolate," Mahaney said.
Mahaney said she, a few students and a teacher will take the packages to Siouxland Soldiers, a nonprofit organization that mails packages to military members, for shipping.
Giselle Cortes, 14, an eighth-grader, said she researched what it was like for the soldiers and wrote them letters filled with questions about what it's like in the Middle East.
"At first, I thought it was awkward, but now I realize it's to help them because some of them can't talk to their families," Cortes said.
These are the soldiers adopted by South Sioux City Middle School students
Pvt. Sims, Ashley
Home State: Minnesota
Deployed From: St. Paul, Minnesota
Gender: Female
Spc. Liza Rodriguez
Home State: New York
Deployed From: Fort Bliss, Texas
Gender: Female
RSGT Nash, Quintessa
Home State: Pennsylvania
Deployed From: Fort Bliss
Gender: Female
ITCS Thomas Dull
Home State: Arizona
Deployed From: Fort Riley
Gender: Male
Spc. Jason Everly
Home State: Iowa
Deployed From: Wiesbaden Germany
Gender: Male
Pfc. Meraz, Luis E.
Home State: Texas
Deployed From: Fort Campbell, Ky.
Gender: Male
Sgt. Frank Rodriguez
Home State: Florida
Deployed from: Fort Hood, Texas
Pfc. JT Heckler
Home State: Florida
Will deploy to Kuwait in June from Fort Riley, Kan.
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