thedrifter
06-23-05, 05:00 PM
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Visit to wall inspires girl to make impact
By BRENDA J. DONEGAN
For The Marion Star
MARION - Rachel Creighton's interest in the military started with a trip to the traveling Vietnam Wall when it was in Marion last fall.
Creighton, 7, visited the wall with her grandmother, Gracie Johnson, who had gone to see if the name of the person on the POW bracelet she formerly wore was listed on the wall.
"When I was young I wore a POW bracelet," Johnson said. "We were able to find his name on the wall. We bought four white carnations - one for each of us - and laid them at the foot of his name."
Johnson said Rachel was quite moved by the wall and why all the names were on it and wanted to do "something."
"I'm kinda thinking that was where the seed was planted," Johnson said. "She kept saying 'Grandma, I want to do something for the soldiers. What can I do?'"
Johnson said she and Rachel's mother, Dawn, talked about what a 7-year-old could do to help the war cause.
"I suggested cards," Johnson said. "So Rachel went out and asked people to sign cards to be sent to the service personnel."
Rachel approached people with her simple request.
"I just told them my grandpa was in the Army and I wanted to send cards to the soldiers in Iraq to make them feel better," she said. "Some of them would ask me 'Do you just want me to sign my name or write a story?' I just told them to do whatever they wanted to do."
Rachel said she had few negative responses.
Since she began gathering signatures a little over three months ago, she has gathered more than 140 names with best wishes for the troops in harm's way in a foreign country. She also took some cards with her on a family day trip to the Ohio Historical Society and approached some folks to sign the cards, as well. One woman not only signed her card but gave her $5 to purchase more cards, she said. Rachel gathers signatures on six to 12 cards each month.
One of Rachel's neighbors, John Darnell, has been happy to be a part of the project.
"When she first stopped by to get me to sign it, I thought it was a school project," he said. "It's very nice of her."
Then came the dilemma of what to do with them once they had gathered the signatures. Johnson said she called all around trying to find an outlet to send the cards on. It was a call to the recruiting office that put her on the trail of the Vietnam Veterans Group, which formed unofficially following the Traveling Wall visit. This group has adopted a platoon of Marines in Iraq. They send several boxes of items to the Marines each month and also to other local service personnel from the area as they learn of them.
Johnson was directed to Benny Morris, who along with a group of 8-10 meets the last Thursday of every month at the Moose Family Center to pack boxes for the troops.
Rachel and her grandmother have joined the group to help pack boxes. Rachel said she put paper towels, toothbrushes, deodorant and word find puzzle books in the boxes she helped pack.
The second grader at William McKinley Elementary School has penned a note on her own that will accompany each box later this month. The note reads: "Dear Soldier, My grandpa was in the Army. Thank you for leaving your families for freedom. My name is Rachel and I am 7 years old. I have been praying for your safety. I collected messages for you."
Rachel said Diana Moore has offered to copy the note to place in every box this month. She also plans to include her name and address in hopes that one or more soldiers will answer her note.
Rachel said her mother, Dawn, had told her that her grandfather, George R. Cruikshank, Delaware, had been in the Army. That bit of information just spurred her interest.
"I want to join the war (service) when I grow up because my grandpa was in it," she said. "I want to help keep people free. I pray for the soldiers often. Sometimes I forget, though."
With the full support of mom and grandma, it appears Rachel will be able to continue her project for as long as needed.
"I thought it was really neat she would want to do something like this on her own," he mother said. "I talked to mom about it. We thought it was a really neat thing to do."
Brenda Donegan: 740-375-5150 or bdonegan@nncogannett.com
than 140 names with best wishes for the troops in harm's way in a foreign country. She also took some cards with her on a family day trip to the Ohio Historical Society and approached some folks to sign the cards, as well. One woman not only signed her card but gave her $5 to purchase more cards, she said. Rachel gathers signatures on six to 12 cards each month.
One of Rachel's neighbors, John Darnell, has been happy to be a part of the project.
"When she first stopped by to get me to sign it, I thought it was a school project," he said. "It's very nice of her."
Then came the dilemma of what to do with them once they had gathered the signatures. Johnson said she called all around trying to find an outlet to send the cards on. It was a call to the recruiting office that put her on the trail of the Vietnam Veterans Group, which formed unofficially following the Traveling Wall visit. This group has adopted a platoon of Marines in Iraq. They send several boxes of items to the Marines each month and also to other local service personnel from the area as they learn of them.
Johnson was directed to Benny Morris, who along with a group of 8-10 meets the last Thursday of every month at the Moose Family Center to pack boxes for the troops.
Rachel and her grandmother have joined the group to help pack boxes. Rachel said she put paper towels, toothbrushes, deodorant and word find puzzle books in the boxes she helped pack.
The second grader at William McKinley Elementary School has penned a note on her own that will accompany each box later this month. The note reads: "Dear Soldier, My grandpa was in the Army. Thank you for leaving your families for freedom. My name is Rachel and I am 7 years old. I have been praying for your safety. I collected messages for you."
Rachel said Diana Moore has offered to copy the note to place in every box this month. She also plans to include her name and address in hopes that one or more soldiers will answer her note.
Rachel said her mother, Dawn, had told her that her grandfather, George R. Cruikshank, Delaware, had been in the Army. That bit of information just spurred her interest.
"I want to join the war (service) when I grow up because my grandpa was in it," she said. "I want to help keep people free. I pray for the soldiers often. Sometimes I forget, though."
With the full support of mom and grandma, it appears Rachel will be able to continue her project for as long as needed.
"I thought it was really neat she would want to do something like this on her own," he mother said. "I talked to mom about it. We thought it was a really neat thing to do."
Brenda Donegan: 740-375-5150 or bdonegan@nncogannett.com
Originally published June 23, 2005
Ellie
Visit to wall inspires girl to make impact
By BRENDA J. DONEGAN
For The Marion Star
MARION - Rachel Creighton's interest in the military started with a trip to the traveling Vietnam Wall when it was in Marion last fall.
Creighton, 7, visited the wall with her grandmother, Gracie Johnson, who had gone to see if the name of the person on the POW bracelet she formerly wore was listed on the wall.
"When I was young I wore a POW bracelet," Johnson said. "We were able to find his name on the wall. We bought four white carnations - one for each of us - and laid them at the foot of his name."
Johnson said Rachel was quite moved by the wall and why all the names were on it and wanted to do "something."
"I'm kinda thinking that was where the seed was planted," Johnson said. "She kept saying 'Grandma, I want to do something for the soldiers. What can I do?'"
Johnson said she and Rachel's mother, Dawn, talked about what a 7-year-old could do to help the war cause.
"I suggested cards," Johnson said. "So Rachel went out and asked people to sign cards to be sent to the service personnel."
Rachel approached people with her simple request.
"I just told them my grandpa was in the Army and I wanted to send cards to the soldiers in Iraq to make them feel better," she said. "Some of them would ask me 'Do you just want me to sign my name or write a story?' I just told them to do whatever they wanted to do."
Rachel said she had few negative responses.
Since she began gathering signatures a little over three months ago, she has gathered more than 140 names with best wishes for the troops in harm's way in a foreign country. She also took some cards with her on a family day trip to the Ohio Historical Society and approached some folks to sign the cards, as well. One woman not only signed her card but gave her $5 to purchase more cards, she said. Rachel gathers signatures on six to 12 cards each month.
One of Rachel's neighbors, John Darnell, has been happy to be a part of the project.
"When she first stopped by to get me to sign it, I thought it was a school project," he said. "It's very nice of her."
Then came the dilemma of what to do with them once they had gathered the signatures. Johnson said she called all around trying to find an outlet to send the cards on. It was a call to the recruiting office that put her on the trail of the Vietnam Veterans Group, which formed unofficially following the Traveling Wall visit. This group has adopted a platoon of Marines in Iraq. They send several boxes of items to the Marines each month and also to other local service personnel from the area as they learn of them.
Johnson was directed to Benny Morris, who along with a group of 8-10 meets the last Thursday of every month at the Moose Family Center to pack boxes for the troops.
Rachel and her grandmother have joined the group to help pack boxes. Rachel said she put paper towels, toothbrushes, deodorant and word find puzzle books in the boxes she helped pack.
The second grader at William McKinley Elementary School has penned a note on her own that will accompany each box later this month. The note reads: "Dear Soldier, My grandpa was in the Army. Thank you for leaving your families for freedom. My name is Rachel and I am 7 years old. I have been praying for your safety. I collected messages for you."
Rachel said Diana Moore has offered to copy the note to place in every box this month. She also plans to include her name and address in hopes that one or more soldiers will answer her note.
Rachel said her mother, Dawn, had told her that her grandfather, George R. Cruikshank, Delaware, had been in the Army. That bit of information just spurred her interest.
"I want to join the war (service) when I grow up because my grandpa was in it," she said. "I want to help keep people free. I pray for the soldiers often. Sometimes I forget, though."
With the full support of mom and grandma, it appears Rachel will be able to continue her project for as long as needed.
"I thought it was really neat she would want to do something like this on her own," he mother said. "I talked to mom about it. We thought it was a really neat thing to do."
Brenda Donegan: 740-375-5150 or bdonegan@nncogannett.com
than 140 names with best wishes for the troops in harm's way in a foreign country. She also took some cards with her on a family day trip to the Ohio Historical Society and approached some folks to sign the cards, as well. One woman not only signed her card but gave her $5 to purchase more cards, she said. Rachel gathers signatures on six to 12 cards each month.
One of Rachel's neighbors, John Darnell, has been happy to be a part of the project.
"When she first stopped by to get me to sign it, I thought it was a school project," he said. "It's very nice of her."
Then came the dilemma of what to do with them once they had gathered the signatures. Johnson said she called all around trying to find an outlet to send the cards on. It was a call to the recruiting office that put her on the trail of the Vietnam Veterans Group, which formed unofficially following the Traveling Wall visit. This group has adopted a platoon of Marines in Iraq. They send several boxes of items to the Marines each month and also to other local service personnel from the area as they learn of them.
Johnson was directed to Benny Morris, who along with a group of 8-10 meets the last Thursday of every month at the Moose Family Center to pack boxes for the troops.
Rachel and her grandmother have joined the group to help pack boxes. Rachel said she put paper towels, toothbrushes, deodorant and word find puzzle books in the boxes she helped pack.
The second grader at William McKinley Elementary School has penned a note on her own that will accompany each box later this month. The note reads: "Dear Soldier, My grandpa was in the Army. Thank you for leaving your families for freedom. My name is Rachel and I am 7 years old. I have been praying for your safety. I collected messages for you."
Rachel said Diana Moore has offered to copy the note to place in every box this month. She also plans to include her name and address in hopes that one or more soldiers will answer her note.
Rachel said her mother, Dawn, had told her that her grandfather, George R. Cruikshank, Delaware, had been in the Army. That bit of information just spurred her interest.
"I want to join the war (service) when I grow up because my grandpa was in it," she said. "I want to help keep people free. I pray for the soldiers often. Sometimes I forget, though."
With the full support of mom and grandma, it appears Rachel will be able to continue her project for as long as needed.
"I thought it was really neat she would want to do something like this on her own," he mother said. "I talked to mom about it. We thought it was a really neat thing to do."
Brenda Donegan: 740-375-5150 or bdonegan@nncogannett.com
Originally published June 23, 2005
Ellie