fontman
06-19-06, 09:05 AM
Marine's mom honored for helping troops
By Linda McIntosh
UNION-TRIBUNE COMMUNITY NEWS WRITER
June 17, 2006
CAMP PENDLETON - There's a mother's touch in the way Mary Ann Hillery packs goodie bags for deployed troops.
They might as well be for her son the way she puts together candy, toothpaste and phone cards along with letters from home.
Hillery, a Marine wife and mom whose son and son-in-law have been deployed to Iraq, knows what the little care packages can do.
Each week, she works with volunteers at a warehouse in Oceanside, packing dozens of boxes for Operation Interdependence, a civilian-to-military delivery system for Americans to show support to deployed military.
She goes to schools and tells children about writing letters to deployed service men and women and does the kind of behind-the-scenes work that makes her son's fellow Marines feel like they're part of her family.
"Whatever she'd wish for her family, she'd do it for them," said Winifred Meiser, an Operation Interdependence volunteer.
For her efforts, Hillery was recognized earlier this month with the DAR Community Service Award from the Santa Margarita chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which meets at Camp Pendleton.
The annual award is given for outstanding achievements in patriotic, humanitarian and educational, historical or citizenship endeavors.
Nominees for the award are approved by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a volunteer service organization and genealogical society that promotes patriotism and preservation of American history.
"Mary Ann demonstrates her patriotism in many ways that support our military overseas and their families here," said Adele Lancaster, chapter regent.
Often it goes beyond her work with Operation Interdependence.
When Hillery heard about a seriously wounded Marine in her son's platoon who was about to have surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego, she called his mother and paid the airfare for her to come and see her son before the operation.
"If it was me, I'd want to see my son. It was the neatest thing to see mom and son reunite," said Hillery, whose husband served in the Marine Corps for 30 years.
A few months ago, when the injured Marine celebrated his 21st birthday, she threw a surprise party for him at Hooters restaurant and sent pictures to his platoon in Iraq.
"They were so relieved and happy to see he was OK," said Meiser who attended the party and took the pictures.
Hillery knows the force of letters and pictures from home.
That's why she goes to schools and civic groups and talks about writing letters to deployed troops.
"She's our ambassador," said Carol Grice, area manager for Operation Interdependence.
Hillery and her son have gone to community groups and described how much the letters mean.
"My son could tell them firsthand how they keep the letters and children's colored pages inside the goodie bag and carry it with them," Hillery said.
"It's a message from home and shows that people care and are thinking about them."
For information about volunteering for Operation Interdependence, go to http://www.oidelivers.org . To ask Hillery to speak in your classroom or community group meeting, call (760) 966-7488.
By Linda McIntosh
UNION-TRIBUNE COMMUNITY NEWS WRITER
June 17, 2006
CAMP PENDLETON - There's a mother's touch in the way Mary Ann Hillery packs goodie bags for deployed troops.
They might as well be for her son the way she puts together candy, toothpaste and phone cards along with letters from home.
Hillery, a Marine wife and mom whose son and son-in-law have been deployed to Iraq, knows what the little care packages can do.
Each week, she works with volunteers at a warehouse in Oceanside, packing dozens of boxes for Operation Interdependence, a civilian-to-military delivery system for Americans to show support to deployed military.
She goes to schools and tells children about writing letters to deployed service men and women and does the kind of behind-the-scenes work that makes her son's fellow Marines feel like they're part of her family.
"Whatever she'd wish for her family, she'd do it for them," said Winifred Meiser, an Operation Interdependence volunteer.
For her efforts, Hillery was recognized earlier this month with the DAR Community Service Award from the Santa Margarita chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which meets at Camp Pendleton.
The annual award is given for outstanding achievements in patriotic, humanitarian and educational, historical or citizenship endeavors.
Nominees for the award are approved by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a volunteer service organization and genealogical society that promotes patriotism and preservation of American history.
"Mary Ann demonstrates her patriotism in many ways that support our military overseas and their families here," said Adele Lancaster, chapter regent.
Often it goes beyond her work with Operation Interdependence.
When Hillery heard about a seriously wounded Marine in her son's platoon who was about to have surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego, she called his mother and paid the airfare for her to come and see her son before the operation.
"If it was me, I'd want to see my son. It was the neatest thing to see mom and son reunite," said Hillery, whose husband served in the Marine Corps for 30 years.
A few months ago, when the injured Marine celebrated his 21st birthday, she threw a surprise party for him at Hooters restaurant and sent pictures to his platoon in Iraq.
"They were so relieved and happy to see he was OK," said Meiser who attended the party and took the pictures.
Hillery knows the force of letters and pictures from home.
That's why she goes to schools and civic groups and talks about writing letters to deployed troops.
"She's our ambassador," said Carol Grice, area manager for Operation Interdependence.
Hillery and her son have gone to community groups and described how much the letters mean.
"My son could tell them firsthand how they keep the letters and children's colored pages inside the goodie bag and carry it with them," Hillery said.
"It's a message from home and shows that people care and are thinking about them."
For information about volunteering for Operation Interdependence, go to http://www.oidelivers.org . To ask Hillery to speak in your classroom or community group meeting, call (760) 966-7488.