By Laura Lane
One boy paused. He was worried that maybe his soldier was getting too much junk food. He wanted to include a toothbrush too. Like his fellow students, he wanted to cover all the bases to be sure his soldier, who was fighting the war on terrorism in Afghanistan, would be happy.
"We have been able to send between 45 to 50 shoeboxes filled with goodies for the soldiers," Vice Principal Rosemary Baum said. "This is our third shipment."
The Adopt-A-Soldier project began as a result of Baum's correspondences with her daughter, former Hicksville resident Beth Orabona, who now lives at a U.S. military base in North Carolina with her two children. Her husband, former Westbury resident Mike Orabona, has been stationed for the last four months in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He is a staff sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Baum and her daughter devised a plan at Bowling Green Elementary School to send letters and food items to the soldiers stationed with Orabona, after hearing that many had received nothing from home. Baum believes the program's objective, to boost the morale of soldiers, has been a success.
"One soldier wrote a personalized letter back to every student in the class," Baum said. "He said that if the children could take the time and effort to write to him, he felt he should do the same. He wrote their teacher, Christine Peer, a two-page letter describing the conditions that the children of Afghanistan have to endure each day."
The children of Afghanistan have never seen a Game Boy or a television, the soldier wrote, and they will more than likely never receive an education or even a new pair of clothes.
Baum said the letter was an eye-opener for the children of Bowling Green. Jocelyn Weston, the coordinator of the fifth-grade student council, agreed.
"Being involved in this project was good for the children because by doing this, they have learned that community is not just across the street," Weston said. "It is the world, and they have to reach out. This is real life, and it's good for them to know it."
East Meadow was alerted to the project by a front-page story in the Herald in October. As a result, many community members contacted Bowling Green. Baum said that churches, synagogues, other East Meadow schools, and even a school in Commack have either contributed to Bowling Green's mailings or called to inquire how to do mailings themselves.
She found one call surprising. A local group of women who play cards once a week called to inform Baum that they had collected all of their winnings and were now ready to go shopping. The women promised to drop off the donated items to Bowling Green.
Baum said that her phone continues to ring with others wishing to contribute, but regardless of how many calls she gets, she continues to be touched by the children's generosity. Bowling Green children donated their own Game Boys for the soldiers and many brought in boxes pre-packed with goodies. The teachers, staff, and administration also pitched in in ways that required a great deal of time and effort.
"Five of our teachers made ear warmers," Baum said. "They were knitted by hand."
Some people helped by donating money for the mailing. Baum said this money, nearly $500, was enough for two mailings. She had been concerned she would not be able to fund the third mailing. However, the parents of Bowling Green students came to her aid by offering to speak to their employers. Brian Sheehan, the father of two Bowling Green students, was successful. He received permission from his company, Merrill Lynch in Garden City to underwrite the mailing.
Bowling Green children continue to write letters, make cards, and talk about the soldiers who are fighting the war. Baum feels the Adopt-A-Soldier program has made students more aware of the war, the bravery of those who defend them, and thankful for all that they do have as American citizens.
As the fifth-grade volunteers exited the classroom, they were exuberant. For a half-hour, they had been able not only to see what the soldiers were receiving, but also guarantee satisfaction by adding their favorite items to the boxes. Content, they returned to their classrooms. Before leaving, George Nasta paused to share his belief on why he was sure the soldiers would be happy.
"We were really nice to the soldiers," Nasta said. "We made sure we put a lot of junk food in their boxes."
