fontman
08-15-06, 07:58 AM
Marine's death in Iraqi war inspires Kiran Peri
By Molly Albertson
Cape Gazette staff
Lance Cpl. Richard Chad Clifton is still touching lives and continues to make a difference in the Cape Region, although he died while on duty with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Iraq in February 2005. Clifton, of Milford, graduated Cape Henlopen High School in 2003. His death jolted many of his friends and family and made them think differently about the war in Iraq.
For Kiran Peri, 16, who is a family friend of the Cliftons, it was a call to action. "There's a lot of apathy out there and it's the right thing to do something active," Peri said.
He started a project to collect 100 backpacks for wounded soldiers. He's calling them Chad Packs. They will be filled with toiletries, pajamas, underwear, and other comforts for people in military hospitals.
The project was fueled by Peri's reaction to Clifton's death. Peri said he worries that people are too focused on the politics of wars, and not the individuals who sacrifice in them. "A lot of people aren't aware of those soldiers," Peri said.
Clifton's mom, Terri, says many of the efforts of support are token and not real. "I'm anti-bumper sticker because it's a Band-aid on America's conscious," she said. She has encouraged young people to do tangible things to support troops.
Peri wanted a way to show men and women of the armed forces that people are concerned, especially young people. "What I'm doing will be appreciated because they'll know people still care," he said.
Peri is using this as his Eagle Scout project, which will qualify him to be promoted to the highest level in the Boy Scouts, and to raise awareness of wounded soldiers.
"When they leave the battlefield they have nothing," he said. Peri is working to give soldiers at least a little comfort when they are first admitted to a military hospital in Germany.
Terri said, "When they come off med flights they don't have any gear - not even a change of underwear, so the packs will help them transition."
The Rehoboth Beach American Legion Auxiliary Unit 5 has given money and supplies to the project. Peri is still looking for sponsors and he needs more money to pay for more products in the packs. He said he hopes to buy phone cards that soldiers can use to call home and portable CD players.
"We're still looking for donations for the CD players and phone cards," Peri said. Peri's mom, Rama, explained that the phone cards are very expensive because it takes 10 times the minutes to call from overseas.
To fund the project and continue to raise awareness, Peri worked with the Chad Clifton Foundation and the Seashore Striders to organize a 5K run and one mile walk slated for Sunday, Aug. 20. Pre-registration 1s $15 and $20 on the day of the race.
Participants will receive T-shirts, refreshments and commemorative Chad Clifton Foundation ID tags. Registration for Chad's Run begins at 6:30 a.m. and the race begins at Cape Henlopen High School.
For more information on the races call 644-8952 or visit www.active.com. To donate directly to the backpacks call 644-0717.
In the future, Terri said she hopes to plan a Heroes Ball for all veterans and the public to raise money for wounded soldiers. She also wants to host a motorcycle ride where each rider would carry the story of one soldier and could share that with the public.
"I want to tell the story of every soldier," Terri said. She said politics should be set aside and support of troops should be on a personal level.
Terri also said Americans should do more to support the troops. She suggested writing to a soldier, adopting a troop and sending care packages, or rounding up books and games and shipping them to war zones. "There are millions of ways to help, we each need to find something we can actually do," Terri said.
By Molly Albertson
Cape Gazette staff
Lance Cpl. Richard Chad Clifton is still touching lives and continues to make a difference in the Cape Region, although he died while on duty with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Iraq in February 2005. Clifton, of Milford, graduated Cape Henlopen High School in 2003. His death jolted many of his friends and family and made them think differently about the war in Iraq.
For Kiran Peri, 16, who is a family friend of the Cliftons, it was a call to action. "There's a lot of apathy out there and it's the right thing to do something active," Peri said.
He started a project to collect 100 backpacks for wounded soldiers. He's calling them Chad Packs. They will be filled with toiletries, pajamas, underwear, and other comforts for people in military hospitals.
The project was fueled by Peri's reaction to Clifton's death. Peri said he worries that people are too focused on the politics of wars, and not the individuals who sacrifice in them. "A lot of people aren't aware of those soldiers," Peri said.
Clifton's mom, Terri, says many of the efforts of support are token and not real. "I'm anti-bumper sticker because it's a Band-aid on America's conscious," she said. She has encouraged young people to do tangible things to support troops.
Peri wanted a way to show men and women of the armed forces that people are concerned, especially young people. "What I'm doing will be appreciated because they'll know people still care," he said.
Peri is using this as his Eagle Scout project, which will qualify him to be promoted to the highest level in the Boy Scouts, and to raise awareness of wounded soldiers.
"When they leave the battlefield they have nothing," he said. Peri is working to give soldiers at least a little comfort when they are first admitted to a military hospital in Germany.
Terri said, "When they come off med flights they don't have any gear - not even a change of underwear, so the packs will help them transition."
The Rehoboth Beach American Legion Auxiliary Unit 5 has given money and supplies to the project. Peri is still looking for sponsors and he needs more money to pay for more products in the packs. He said he hopes to buy phone cards that soldiers can use to call home and portable CD players.
"We're still looking for donations for the CD players and phone cards," Peri said. Peri's mom, Rama, explained that the phone cards are very expensive because it takes 10 times the minutes to call from overseas.
To fund the project and continue to raise awareness, Peri worked with the Chad Clifton Foundation and the Seashore Striders to organize a 5K run and one mile walk slated for Sunday, Aug. 20. Pre-registration 1s $15 and $20 on the day of the race.
Participants will receive T-shirts, refreshments and commemorative Chad Clifton Foundation ID tags. Registration for Chad's Run begins at 6:30 a.m. and the race begins at Cape Henlopen High School.
For more information on the races call 644-8952 or visit www.active.com. To donate directly to the backpacks call 644-0717.
In the future, Terri said she hopes to plan a Heroes Ball for all veterans and the public to raise money for wounded soldiers. She also wants to host a motorcycle ride where each rider would carry the story of one soldier and could share that with the public.
"I want to tell the story of every soldier," Terri said. She said politics should be set aside and support of troops should be on a personal level.
Terri also said Americans should do more to support the troops. She suggested writing to a soldier, adopting a troop and sending care packages, or rounding up books and games and shipping them to war zones. "There are millions of ways to help, we each need to find something we can actually do," Terri said.