thedrifter
11-16-02, 03:15 PM
By Kevin Schuster
La Vista Sun
PAPILLION - Every day, 11th Military Expeditionary Unit Marines put their lives on the line off the coast of Iraq.
Those efforts are unheralded among most Americans. But they are appreciated in five Papillion-La Vista High School language arts classrooms.
The classrooms of Paula Jean Andersen, Sandy Boswell, Tom Collins, Laura Penn and Diane Withem are participating in Operation Interdependence. The project was organized to provide the Marines with a box of food items, condiments and letters of encouragement.
"I think this is a powerful community," Andersen said. "People have a passion for the military."
Andersen heard about the project through her sister-in-law, Carol Grice, a retired Navy nurse who's a secretary with Operation Interdependence. Grice asked Andersen if Papillion-La Vista would be interested in participating.
"The time those people devote and dedicate to us is not appreciated," Andersen said. "It's a great project."
It's also a great secret.
There are only four states involved with Operation Interdependence. Papillion-La Vista is the only Nebraska school that takes part.
"I think more people should be involved," said Dan Sharp, one of five Papillion-La Vista seniors who gathered in the library last week to stuff packages. "If there were more schools involved, they would be getting so much more."
The unsung hero behind the project is John Wisniefki, a Vietnam veteran from Papillion who died a year ago after a battle with cancer.
Wisniefki left money for his sister, Susan Wymore. He asked her to help servicemen with the funds.
Those funds allow students to place items such as cards, chap stick, dental floss, disposable cameras, facial tissues, granola bars, music CDs, pens, toothbrushes and travel games into a Ziploc bag with their letters.
Papillion-La Vista's language arts classes have produced 700 care packages. They have shipped 10 boxes to the troops.
Andersen said students contributed $70 to help get the project rolling. Harvest Homes of Ralston donated $300 to help cover shipping costs.
The first box was shipped Sept. 5. Andersen said the items were appreciated by the troops in the Middle East.
Some replied to Andersen. Troops can't contact students because their letters only feature first names for security reasons.
"When we get letters, they are, ?It's so nice you're thinking about us,'" she said. "Military people will write back and advise kids to stay in school. This kind of interaction is so important to young people."
Sharp expressed gratitude in the letter he wrote to a Marine.
"What they're doing is great for the country, and everyone appreciates it," he said. "I just said that we're saying prayers for them."
Senior Brandi Trumble is proud of what the Marines are doing several time zones from the metro area.
"It takes a lot of guts to go out there and fight," she said. "I don't think I would have the courage to do it."
Andersen is now seeking Christmas card-donations for the next set of packages. Each package takes a month to ship.
"If I could get 400 to 500 Christmas cards, I'd be a happy, happy woman," she said.
Sempers,
Roger
La Vista Sun
PAPILLION - Every day, 11th Military Expeditionary Unit Marines put their lives on the line off the coast of Iraq.
Those efforts are unheralded among most Americans. But they are appreciated in five Papillion-La Vista High School language arts classrooms.
The classrooms of Paula Jean Andersen, Sandy Boswell, Tom Collins, Laura Penn and Diane Withem are participating in Operation Interdependence. The project was organized to provide the Marines with a box of food items, condiments and letters of encouragement.
"I think this is a powerful community," Andersen said. "People have a passion for the military."
Andersen heard about the project through her sister-in-law, Carol Grice, a retired Navy nurse who's a secretary with Operation Interdependence. Grice asked Andersen if Papillion-La Vista would be interested in participating.
"The time those people devote and dedicate to us is not appreciated," Andersen said. "It's a great project."
It's also a great secret.
There are only four states involved with Operation Interdependence. Papillion-La Vista is the only Nebraska school that takes part.
"I think more people should be involved," said Dan Sharp, one of five Papillion-La Vista seniors who gathered in the library last week to stuff packages. "If there were more schools involved, they would be getting so much more."
The unsung hero behind the project is John Wisniefki, a Vietnam veteran from Papillion who died a year ago after a battle with cancer.
Wisniefki left money for his sister, Susan Wymore. He asked her to help servicemen with the funds.
Those funds allow students to place items such as cards, chap stick, dental floss, disposable cameras, facial tissues, granola bars, music CDs, pens, toothbrushes and travel games into a Ziploc bag with their letters.
Papillion-La Vista's language arts classes have produced 700 care packages. They have shipped 10 boxes to the troops.
Andersen said students contributed $70 to help get the project rolling. Harvest Homes of Ralston donated $300 to help cover shipping costs.
The first box was shipped Sept. 5. Andersen said the items were appreciated by the troops in the Middle East.
Some replied to Andersen. Troops can't contact students because their letters only feature first names for security reasons.
"When we get letters, they are, ?It's so nice you're thinking about us,'" she said. "Military people will write back and advise kids to stay in school. This kind of interaction is so important to young people."
Sharp expressed gratitude in the letter he wrote to a Marine.
"What they're doing is great for the country, and everyone appreciates it," he said. "I just said that we're saying prayers for them."
Senior Brandi Trumble is proud of what the Marines are doing several time zones from the metro area.
"It takes a lot of guts to go out there and fight," she said. "I don't think I would have the courage to do it."
Andersen is now seeking Christmas card-donations for the next set of packages. Each package takes a month to ship.
"If I could get 400 to 500 Christmas cards, I'd be a happy, happy woman," she said.
Sempers,
Roger