thedrifter
12-24-08, 07:57 AM
Posted on Wed, Dec. 24, 2008
Gifts of thanks sent to Marines
By NATALIE NEYSA ALUND
nalund@bradenton.com
BRADENTON — In an e-mail from war overseas, soldier Ryan Fielding told his dad he didn’t need anything for Christmas.
The 30-year-old Marine wrote that some of his platoon members may not get gifts this Christmas and that he hoped somebody would remember them.
“Again this ball is entirely in your court, even if you just want to send a letter,” Fielding told his father, Tom Fielding, an assistant public defender with the 12th Judicial Circuit.
When his dad relayed the message to his fellow public defender, Jennifer Fury, he said she quickly jumped in to help.
“She just took off with it like a banshee,” Tom Fielding said.
Fury, he said, rounded up co-workers at the public defender’s Bradenton office, and they each adopted a Marine from his son’s platoon. The group, including some attorneys’ family members and a handful of public defenders from the Sarasota office, sent out 40 packages — each one unique.
This week, 2nd Lt. Ryan Fielding sent word that he and his comrades with the Marine Wing Support Squadron in Iraq received the gifts.
Goodies included food, clothes, games and personal toiletries.
Lance Cpl. James Miner received a disposable camera, an electronic Sudoku game and Axe body spray, compliments of Assistant Public Defender Peter Coen.
Coen also wrote him a letter, thanking him for his dedication to the country.
“The guys who do this kind of work are really, really special people who have a lot of guts and should be thanked,” Coen said. “The news has changed and the economy has taken over, but there’s people out there in the desert working hard.”
Assistant Public Defender Anne Hunter, who took Sgt. Jeremy Smallwood under her wing, said she was impressed with how quickly everybody in the office signed up. “You could tell people were really excited about this and wanted to do it,” she said.
She wanted to send Smallwood this month’s edition of Maxim, a men’s magazine, but opted instead for items including an ESPN magazine, a puzzle book, lip balm and face wipes.
“I was told we couldn’t send Maxim because it’s considered porn to Iraqis,” she said. “I thought about the kind of things I’d want if I was away from home.”
Fury sent Sgt. Joshua Kettel goodies including an English and Arabic phrase book directory, a multi-tool screwdriver gadget, a travel Boggle game and some snacks.
“It’s hard for me to complain about anything knowing what these guys and gals are doing,” Fury said Tuesday. “There was not a single person in these tough economic times who said ‘I can’t afford to do it.’ It never ceases to amaze me that when chips are down and times are tough, that’s when people step up the most and are the most generous and helping of their fellow man.”
In his follow-up e-mail, Ryan Fielding thanked the group for the gifts and said they planned to write thank you notes.
With the struggling economy the center of attention lately, Tom Fielding said his co-workers wanted to remind troops they are not forgotten and that they are grateful for what they continue to do overseas.
“It seems the situation in Iraq is falling off people’s radar with the economy the way it is,” he said. “So this will be good for their morale.”
Ellie
Gifts of thanks sent to Marines
By NATALIE NEYSA ALUND
nalund@bradenton.com
BRADENTON — In an e-mail from war overseas, soldier Ryan Fielding told his dad he didn’t need anything for Christmas.
The 30-year-old Marine wrote that some of his platoon members may not get gifts this Christmas and that he hoped somebody would remember them.
“Again this ball is entirely in your court, even if you just want to send a letter,” Fielding told his father, Tom Fielding, an assistant public defender with the 12th Judicial Circuit.
When his dad relayed the message to his fellow public defender, Jennifer Fury, he said she quickly jumped in to help.
“She just took off with it like a banshee,” Tom Fielding said.
Fury, he said, rounded up co-workers at the public defender’s Bradenton office, and they each adopted a Marine from his son’s platoon. The group, including some attorneys’ family members and a handful of public defenders from the Sarasota office, sent out 40 packages — each one unique.
This week, 2nd Lt. Ryan Fielding sent word that he and his comrades with the Marine Wing Support Squadron in Iraq received the gifts.
Goodies included food, clothes, games and personal toiletries.
Lance Cpl. James Miner received a disposable camera, an electronic Sudoku game and Axe body spray, compliments of Assistant Public Defender Peter Coen.
Coen also wrote him a letter, thanking him for his dedication to the country.
“The guys who do this kind of work are really, really special people who have a lot of guts and should be thanked,” Coen said. “The news has changed and the economy has taken over, but there’s people out there in the desert working hard.”
Assistant Public Defender Anne Hunter, who took Sgt. Jeremy Smallwood under her wing, said she was impressed with how quickly everybody in the office signed up. “You could tell people were really excited about this and wanted to do it,” she said.
She wanted to send Smallwood this month’s edition of Maxim, a men’s magazine, but opted instead for items including an ESPN magazine, a puzzle book, lip balm and face wipes.
“I was told we couldn’t send Maxim because it’s considered porn to Iraqis,” she said. “I thought about the kind of things I’d want if I was away from home.”
Fury sent Sgt. Joshua Kettel goodies including an English and Arabic phrase book directory, a multi-tool screwdriver gadget, a travel Boggle game and some snacks.
“It’s hard for me to complain about anything knowing what these guys and gals are doing,” Fury said Tuesday. “There was not a single person in these tough economic times who said ‘I can’t afford to do it.’ It never ceases to amaze me that when chips are down and times are tough, that’s when people step up the most and are the most generous and helping of their fellow man.”
In his follow-up e-mail, Ryan Fielding thanked the group for the gifts and said they planned to write thank you notes.
With the struggling economy the center of attention lately, Tom Fielding said his co-workers wanted to remind troops they are not forgotten and that they are grateful for what they continue to do overseas.
“It seems the situation in Iraq is falling off people’s radar with the economy the way it is,” he said. “So this will be good for their morale.”
Ellie