thedrifter
10-18-07, 05:58 AM
Marine seeks toys for Iraqi children
By Terry Karkos , Staff Writer
Thursday, October 18, 2007
BETHEL - A Marine from Bethel on his second tour of duty in Iraq spent his 23rd birthday on Monday longing for presents, but not for himself or his unit.
Instead, Cpl. Brian Zinchuk e-mailed his mom, Robin Zinchuk asking for soccer balls and equipment to give to Iraqi children.
"He told me he didn't want any presents," Robin Zinchuk said in a telephone interview late Tuesday afternoon. "He just wants soccer balls and stuffed animals, Beanie Babies, candy, and crayons and coloring pads. Basically, anything for children of any age. I think it's a wonderful thing, because there are a lot of kids over there and they don't have much."
Robin Zinchuk, executive director of the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, mentioned her son's wish to members of the Bethel Rotary Club.
That's when Kathy Thrall, owner of The Inn at the Rostay on Route 2, took the ball and ran with it. She set up an organizational drive to score a bunch of soccer balls from people and schools that are replacing old, but still good, equipment with new stuff.
The balls will be deflated if not delivered that way to Thrall and shipped, along with a few air pumps, to Cpl. Zinchuk, who is with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines out of Kanoehe Bay, Hawaii.
Brian Zinchuk served his first deployment in Iraq from March through October 2006. His job, mom said, was keeping roads cleared of roadside bombs, keeping supply lanes open, and guarding checkpoints.
He left in August for a second tour that's expected to last until March 2008, but his job has changed.
When they're not interacting with and helping Iraqis, Brian Zinchuk's unit's second job is to be what's called a "quick reaction force." That means, she said, they're on standby to help should another unit get into trouble.
To donate any good used soccer balls and/or lightweight, easy-to-set-up nets, or items for children, contact Thrall at 824-3111 or send them to: Kathy Thrall, The Inn at the Rostay, 186 Mayville Road, Bethel, ME 04217.
Ellie
By Terry Karkos , Staff Writer
Thursday, October 18, 2007
BETHEL - A Marine from Bethel on his second tour of duty in Iraq spent his 23rd birthday on Monday longing for presents, but not for himself or his unit.
Instead, Cpl. Brian Zinchuk e-mailed his mom, Robin Zinchuk asking for soccer balls and equipment to give to Iraqi children.
"He told me he didn't want any presents," Robin Zinchuk said in a telephone interview late Tuesday afternoon. "He just wants soccer balls and stuffed animals, Beanie Babies, candy, and crayons and coloring pads. Basically, anything for children of any age. I think it's a wonderful thing, because there are a lot of kids over there and they don't have much."
Robin Zinchuk, executive director of the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, mentioned her son's wish to members of the Bethel Rotary Club.
That's when Kathy Thrall, owner of The Inn at the Rostay on Route 2, took the ball and ran with it. She set up an organizational drive to score a bunch of soccer balls from people and schools that are replacing old, but still good, equipment with new stuff.
The balls will be deflated if not delivered that way to Thrall and shipped, along with a few air pumps, to Cpl. Zinchuk, who is with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines out of Kanoehe Bay, Hawaii.
Brian Zinchuk served his first deployment in Iraq from March through October 2006. His job, mom said, was keeping roads cleared of roadside bombs, keeping supply lanes open, and guarding checkpoints.
He left in August for a second tour that's expected to last until March 2008, but his job has changed.
When they're not interacting with and helping Iraqis, Brian Zinchuk's unit's second job is to be what's called a "quick reaction force." That means, she said, they're on standby to help should another unit get into trouble.
To donate any good used soccer balls and/or lightweight, easy-to-set-up nets, or items for children, contact Thrall at 824-3111 or send them to: Kathy Thrall, The Inn at the Rostay, 186 Mayville Road, Bethel, ME 04217.
Ellie