Archive
Subscribe
Weather
 |
|
 |
|
Scout troop cultivating a pen pal in Iraq |
By David Sale,
Newberg Graphic reporter
E-mail David at dsale@eaglenewspapers.com
|
When Jeannie Lewis organized a
Cub Scout project this spring, she wasn’t expecting to gain a pen
pal, or a souvenir for the pack.
“I’d wanted to send something to the troops and get the Cub Scouts
involved,” said Lewis, a leader for Cub Scout Pack 7520 who also
works at Caravan Coffee in Newberg.
Using space at Champoeg State Park, the scouts assembled 25 care
packages, to be sent to the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry Regiment in
Mosul, Iraq.
“We had
Q-tips, baby wipes, beef jerky and snacks, deodorant and
toothbrushes — all these things we take for granted,” Lewis said.
“My friend’s brother was being deployed, so he provided a delivery
address and distributed the packages once they arrived.”
Shortly afterwards, Lewis received an e-mail from one of the
soldiers on the base, expressing gratitude and amazement: “He
thought I’d sent them all myself,” she added.
Soon, Lewis was corresponding regularly with Staff Sgt. Timothy
Sikes, a Wisconsin native and member of the 7th Cavalry.
“Things are heating up in Mosul (no pun intended),” Sikes wrote in
May. “The ‘surge’ seems to be working in Baghdad as we are seeing
more of those terrorists driven up here ... On Wednesday we had nine
car bombs go off. It didn’t really make the news, we are not in
Baghdad. No coalition forces were injured, thank God. They did
manage to break out five prisoners from the downtown jail, however.”
Though raised in New Zealand, Lewis said, “I’m a very patriotic
person and I wanted to thank our soldiers for their effort.” With
Sikes’ aid, she organized “Operation Chocolate Chip Cookie,”
shipping 50 dozen cookies to Mosul.
“A lot of local businesses were involved with donating postage and
I want to thank them for their generosity,” Lewis said.
Sikes was also grateful: “Can’t believe all those cookies. They are
almost all gone. I have two boxes left and I am going to take these
to the CSH (pronounced cash), it’s the combat support hospital and
see if there are any dudes need cheering up ... a couple were
wounded two days ago and will probably be going to Germany pretty
quick.”
In return, Sikes and his fellow soldiers presented to Cub Scout
Pack 7520 an American flag which flew over the State Department’s
Provincial Reconstruction Team offices on May 30.
“It’s a great gift and I want to put it on display at the senior
center or the library,” Lewis said.
Meanwhile, she is continuing her pen pal efforts, and looking for
other Newberg residents interested in corresponding with soldiers in
Iraq. To participate, e-mail her at kiwijeannie@hotmail.com. |
|
From June 23, 2007,
Newberg Graphic
Click Here to Subscribe |
|
|
|
 |
|
