thedrifter
07-21-07, 06:56 AM
Putting the 'care' in care packages
By Patricia A. Russell, DAILY NEWS CORRESPONDENT
GHS
Fri Jul 20, 2007, 09:55 PM EDT
Hopedale, Mass. -
Since March, Linda Trites has been sending weekly packages filled with things her son, who is stationed in Iraq, has asked for.
Last month, the Hopedale resident got an unusual request.
Lance Cpl. Ryan Trites, a 22-year-old Marine and a member of the 1st Light Armored Recon Unit, asked his mom to take the money she normally spends to send him packages and instead use it to buy packages for soldiers in his unit who receive few if any from home.
Yesterday, Trites mailed 21 packages to all the members in her son's unit thanks to Medway Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1526, who gave her a $1,000 check.
"I was happy to do it," said Post Commander Bob Llewellyn.
"This is a fine thing they're doing and it's nice to see," said the 80-year-old World War II veteran. Llewellyn said the donation was made possible through the post's Sunday meat shoots, a game similar to bingo.
A plastic sign outside the post's building reads: We Support our Troops.
The $1,000 donation paid for postage as well as 21 identical items each of chips, soup, shampoo, razors, socks, hard candy and a package of 400 midgee -sized Tootsie Rolls.
"It's the one chocolate that doesn't melt" in the 100-plus degree Iraqi weather, said Trites.
Trites said it was fun walking around the stores with overflowing shopping carts.
"We got some funny looks from people," recalled Trites' 19-year-old daughter, Kristina, who helped her mom shop.
As Trite and her daughter filled out custom forms for each package yesterday at noon, she spoke about her son.
"It didn't surprise me that he worried that other people weren't getting any packages," said Trites, adding that her son, a Franklin High School graduate, has always had a generous heart.
In fact, he's also requested another DVD player so he can share it "with the guys," she said.
His sister also praised the brother she described as generous.
"He's a nice guy who is loyal and a great friend," she said, adding that she misses her "big brother" who is handsome, "a real lady's man."
As the Trites worked, they got some help from Nancy Tomasso of Holliston, whose son, Joe Panfile, will be deployed to Iraq in September.
Tomasso met Trites during a swearing-in ceremony in Boston last year just prior to their sons leaving for boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina.
"I wanted to help," Tomasso said. "It's hard to believe that some soldiers don't get packages from home."
"It's just horrible," said Trites, who said she was motivated to honor her son's request because it's one thing she can do to help.
"I was ecstatic when the VFW said they'd help," she said. "It's expensive to do," she noted.
"I wish we could send more (packages) to more units," she said, adding that pictures, postcards and letters would also be appreciated by the soldiers.
Ellie
By Patricia A. Russell, DAILY NEWS CORRESPONDENT
GHS
Fri Jul 20, 2007, 09:55 PM EDT
Hopedale, Mass. -
Since March, Linda Trites has been sending weekly packages filled with things her son, who is stationed in Iraq, has asked for.
Last month, the Hopedale resident got an unusual request.
Lance Cpl. Ryan Trites, a 22-year-old Marine and a member of the 1st Light Armored Recon Unit, asked his mom to take the money she normally spends to send him packages and instead use it to buy packages for soldiers in his unit who receive few if any from home.
Yesterday, Trites mailed 21 packages to all the members in her son's unit thanks to Medway Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1526, who gave her a $1,000 check.
"I was happy to do it," said Post Commander Bob Llewellyn.
"This is a fine thing they're doing and it's nice to see," said the 80-year-old World War II veteran. Llewellyn said the donation was made possible through the post's Sunday meat shoots, a game similar to bingo.
A plastic sign outside the post's building reads: We Support our Troops.
The $1,000 donation paid for postage as well as 21 identical items each of chips, soup, shampoo, razors, socks, hard candy and a package of 400 midgee -sized Tootsie Rolls.
"It's the one chocolate that doesn't melt" in the 100-plus degree Iraqi weather, said Trites.
Trites said it was fun walking around the stores with overflowing shopping carts.
"We got some funny looks from people," recalled Trites' 19-year-old daughter, Kristina, who helped her mom shop.
As Trite and her daughter filled out custom forms for each package yesterday at noon, she spoke about her son.
"It didn't surprise me that he worried that other people weren't getting any packages," said Trites, adding that her son, a Franklin High School graduate, has always had a generous heart.
In fact, he's also requested another DVD player so he can share it "with the guys," she said.
His sister also praised the brother she described as generous.
"He's a nice guy who is loyal and a great friend," she said, adding that she misses her "big brother" who is handsome, "a real lady's man."
As the Trites worked, they got some help from Nancy Tomasso of Holliston, whose son, Joe Panfile, will be deployed to Iraq in September.
Tomasso met Trites during a swearing-in ceremony in Boston last year just prior to their sons leaving for boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina.
"I wanted to help," Tomasso said. "It's hard to believe that some soldiers don't get packages from home."
"It's just horrible," said Trites, who said she was motivated to honor her son's request because it's one thing she can do to help.
"I was ecstatic when the VFW said they'd help," she said. "It's expensive to do," she noted.
"I wish we could send more (packages) to more units," she said, adding that pictures, postcards and letters would also be appreciated by the soldiers.
Ellie