thedrifter
12-14-05, 10:39 AM
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Marines deliver Santa, gifts to Belen
Jackie Schlotfeldt News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jschlotfeldt@news-bulletin.com
Belen Santa Claus flew into Belen on Friday, but it was not a sleigh and eight reindeer that brought him here. Around 9 a.m., a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with Santa on board landed in a drop zone near the Belen Alexander Municipal airport.
So what brought jolly old Saint Nick to our neck of the woods?
Simply put, the Marines.
Sixteen members of (D) Company, Fourth Reconnaissance Battalion, brought toys to every kindergarten through third-grade student in the Belen School District. In addition to the Marines, members of the Army National Guard and the Air Force Aerial Delivery Unit, from Kirtland Air Force Base, helped coordinate the toy drop.
Kenny Griego, Belen Schools superintendent, said the plan was to bus all the students out to the drop zone where they would get to see a few large boxes of gifts with parachutes dropping from the helicopter, followed by 14 Marine paratroopers.
"What a great thing for them to do," Griego said. "We have 1,448 students that they will be giving gifts to."
Staff Sgt. Christopher Covey of (D) Company said all the toys were donated through Toys for Tots.
"We had 1,600 toys on board and we figured we distributed about 1,500 of them," Covey said.
Although the plan was to drop boxes with parachutes attached to them and then have 12 Marine paratroopers jump, a problem with the helicopter occurred on its final approach to the drop zone.
"We had warning lights on the stabilizing fin," Covey said. "We had to cancel the drop because it wasn't safe for the jumpers."
Despite the mechanical difficulties, all the children got to see Santa, who was sitting in the helicopter. As they walked up, he handed each of them a new toy and wished them a Merry Christmas.
Throughout the morning, Marines talked with the students as they waited in line for Santa. Parents came out to the drop zone to see their children and watch the events.
Ron Marquez, school district director of personnel, was at the site making sure that things ran smoothly.
"It's too bad that they didn't get to see the Marines jump," Marquez said.
Michael Moody, a student at Gil Sanchez Elementary, held up his toy. What did he think of the helicopter and Santa?
"Umm, it's great," he said.
Ellie
Marines deliver Santa, gifts to Belen
Jackie Schlotfeldt News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jschlotfeldt@news-bulletin.com
Belen Santa Claus flew into Belen on Friday, but it was not a sleigh and eight reindeer that brought him here. Around 9 a.m., a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with Santa on board landed in a drop zone near the Belen Alexander Municipal airport.
So what brought jolly old Saint Nick to our neck of the woods?
Simply put, the Marines.
Sixteen members of (D) Company, Fourth Reconnaissance Battalion, brought toys to every kindergarten through third-grade student in the Belen School District. In addition to the Marines, members of the Army National Guard and the Air Force Aerial Delivery Unit, from Kirtland Air Force Base, helped coordinate the toy drop.
Kenny Griego, Belen Schools superintendent, said the plan was to bus all the students out to the drop zone where they would get to see a few large boxes of gifts with parachutes dropping from the helicopter, followed by 14 Marine paratroopers.
"What a great thing for them to do," Griego said. "We have 1,448 students that they will be giving gifts to."
Staff Sgt. Christopher Covey of (D) Company said all the toys were donated through Toys for Tots.
"We had 1,600 toys on board and we figured we distributed about 1,500 of them," Covey said.
Although the plan was to drop boxes with parachutes attached to them and then have 12 Marine paratroopers jump, a problem with the helicopter occurred on its final approach to the drop zone.
"We had warning lights on the stabilizing fin," Covey said. "We had to cancel the drop because it wasn't safe for the jumpers."
Despite the mechanical difficulties, all the children got to see Santa, who was sitting in the helicopter. As they walked up, he handed each of them a new toy and wished them a Merry Christmas.
Throughout the morning, Marines talked with the students as they waited in line for Santa. Parents came out to the drop zone to see their children and watch the events.
Ron Marquez, school district director of personnel, was at the site making sure that things ran smoothly.
"It's too bad that they didn't get to see the Marines jump," Marquez said.
Michael Moody, a student at Gil Sanchez Elementary, held up his toy. What did he think of the helicopter and Santa?
"Umm, it's great," he said.
Ellie