By: Anne Marie Allocca
Nevader could not sit idly by while the soldiers readied for deployment at New Jersey's Fort Dix. She wanted to do something for the many young men and women, some of whom have small children. Nevader's idea was simple. She wanted to give each soldier an AT&T calling card before they leave Maguire Air Force Base for Iraq so they can call home this holiday season. While her son was the inspiration for the project, Nevader says the young mothers being deployed tugged at her heartstrings. She is calling the effort Operation Heart and Soul.
"There were mothers leaving 2-year-old children behind, one of them a sergeant major who got on the bus the day before her son's [second] birthday, and fathers, too," Nevader said. "So if I can give these parents the ability to call home for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa - whatever their holiday is - to talk to their children, that is really why I'm doing it. So they can communicate home."
Nevader, the mother of four - Macchia, Nicholas, 17, Stephen, 16, and Christina, 10 - came up with the idea of making a felt flag out of hearts and stars with messages to the soldiers written on them. To raise money for the calling cards, which cost $10 each, she enlisted the help of Macchia's alma maters, the William L. Buck School and South High School. She contacted Albert Arnone, Buck's principal, and Dr. Stephen Lando, South's principal, for their assistance. Students at Buck cut out hundreds of red and white felt hearts, which they're selling for $1 each. At South, 50 stars, representing the states, are being sold for $5 each, and as the Herald went to press, the stars were near sold out. So far, the overall effort has raised several hundred dollars.
Nevader and her brood, along with family friends, have sold the hearts and stars at King Kullen, and will gladly accept donations from Herald readers. She has also enlisted the help of the Woodmere post office, which has its own calling card program, Operation Phone Home.
"People that go into the post office there can donate a phone card to a soldier," explains Nevader, who met with the postmaster general of Woodmere. "Their phone cards go to Calverton, and then are shipped to all the deployed. If I don't meet my quota of $1,740 before the deadline of when the platoon flies out, [the postmaster] will donate enough phone cards to make sure the 174 soldiers have one. I, in turn said, 'If I go over my quota, the money over and above will go to the Woodmere post office for all the servicemen.'"
Donations can be mailed to Nevader at 9 Liggett Road, Valley Stream, NY 11581. Checks should be made payable to the Postmaster general, Woodmere Post Office, or the United States Post Office.
Macchia enlisted in the Army Reserves while a senior at South in 2003. He started boot camp that September, then attended East Stroudsburg University for one semester, where he majored in pre-med and maintained a 3.5 grade point average. He was set to return to college in September when he learned he was being deployed to Iraq. Nevader says her son is "strong, but I'm sure at 19 he's terrified."
"They are training them very well," she said. "His particular platoon is very close. His major is very family-oriented. They've been together since he came back from boot camp and got attached to this platoon in Uniondale. He's been at Fort Dix since Oct. 28."
Nevader did get to spend Thanksgiving with her son, who was home on a 48-hour furlough. At press time, Macchia was scheduled to leave for Iraq Dec. 19. Nevader doesn't plan to be at the airport. "If I need to be there for this project, I'll go, but if it's just to say goodbye to my son, then no, I don't want to go," she said. "The emotion with these soldiers right now is very high. I won't put him through another goodbye again. They need to get into the right mental state for where they're going. They don't need family tugging on them. Right now we need to be strong and let them get to where they need to be, mentally prepared for where they are going."
And the battalion members will have their flag and phone cards in hand thanks to Nevader's hard work. "The response has been phenomenal," she said. "I totally appreciate the post office's generosity, but I want to raise the $1,740 myself. I have my fingers crossed that we will make it before they go. Then the banner will go with them so they get a little feeling of home with them."
Comments about this story? NFalco@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
After tragedy struck on Sept. 11, 2001, Joseph Macchia's brother, Nicholas, wrote the following poem, titled "America is a place where people want to be." Cindy Nevader arranged to have it read to the platoon as the flag banner unfolds. The soldiers will then take the flag with them to Iraq along with the heartfelt messages from home.
America is like an enormous freedom key.
America opens its doors to people with no place to go.
They come here when other countries say no.
America is a salad bowl, containing different cultures.
Other countries pick and fight like big scavenging vultures.
America is a democracy, which means that we have rights.
And if you try to take our freedom, we'll put out your lights.
Americans together are a strong steel chain.
They are linked together by the strength of their brains.
Even though this tragedy has come to us a shock,
We will stand together like an unmoved rock.
So when I look at America and tell you what I see,
America is a place, just for you and me.
