thedrifter
03-14-09, 07:35 AM
Rocky Point girl honored for gifts to Marines in Iraq
BY JONATHAN SINGER | Special to Newsday
8:03 PM EDT, March 13, 2009
In December, Marine Cpl. Ronny Brandafino of the Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 Red Lions was stationed at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq when, to his surprise, a shipment of 20 packages arrived from Long Island, filled with enough goods to cover his 250-troop unit.
"It gets kind of depressing over there, especially over the holiday season," Brandafino, 21, said Friday.
The care packages were sent from Heather Kuhn, a second-grader at Frank J. Carasiti Elementary School in Rocky Point.
"It was a big surprise," said Brandafino, of Farmingville.
Friday, it was Brandafino's turn to surprise Heather. The corporal awarded the Rocky Point girl with an American flag and combat wings at a school assembly held in her honor.
"I was so shocked," said Heather, who is 8 years old, or in the words of Brandafino, "very grown-up for her age."
The care packages were filled with gloves, glove warmers, candy canes, chocolate kisses and "snowman soup," a concoction of hot chocolate, marshmallows and candy canes.
Heather's mother, Michelle Kuhn, 41, of Rocky Point, owns C.P. La Manno's Have-A-Pizza in Miller Place. She helped her daughter bake and sell chocolate chip cookies to raise the money needed to make the care packages.
"It's nice to get a gift from anyone around the holidays," Kuhn said.
In total, Heather's efforts raised $55. The adults who assisted her admitted that the amount was small, but said it was also impressive because the project was her sole idea.
"This was tiny, but it was really from the heart," said Lisa Rinaldo, a teacher's aide at Heather's school and Brandafino's aunt. "It touched him that one little kid did this."
Heather is no stranger to helping those in need. Last June, she donated her hair to Locks of Love, which makes wigs for children with medical hair loss. "I would really like to do everything I did again," Heather said.
Brandafino's visit was kept secret until the school's principal, Scott O'Brien, called Heather's name.
"We were all taken back," said Vanessa Vicciardo, Heather's teacher. "Her classmates were blown away by what she's done."
"It's pretty rough not being with your family, so it lightens up your day getting these packages," Brandafino said. "I'm very proud."
Video
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-liflag1412546572mar14,0,5109370.story?track=rss
Ellie
BY JONATHAN SINGER | Special to Newsday
8:03 PM EDT, March 13, 2009
In December, Marine Cpl. Ronny Brandafino of the Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 Red Lions was stationed at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq when, to his surprise, a shipment of 20 packages arrived from Long Island, filled with enough goods to cover his 250-troop unit.
"It gets kind of depressing over there, especially over the holiday season," Brandafino, 21, said Friday.
The care packages were sent from Heather Kuhn, a second-grader at Frank J. Carasiti Elementary School in Rocky Point.
"It was a big surprise," said Brandafino, of Farmingville.
Friday, it was Brandafino's turn to surprise Heather. The corporal awarded the Rocky Point girl with an American flag and combat wings at a school assembly held in her honor.
"I was so shocked," said Heather, who is 8 years old, or in the words of Brandafino, "very grown-up for her age."
The care packages were filled with gloves, glove warmers, candy canes, chocolate kisses and "snowman soup," a concoction of hot chocolate, marshmallows and candy canes.
Heather's mother, Michelle Kuhn, 41, of Rocky Point, owns C.P. La Manno's Have-A-Pizza in Miller Place. She helped her daughter bake and sell chocolate chip cookies to raise the money needed to make the care packages.
"It's nice to get a gift from anyone around the holidays," Kuhn said.
In total, Heather's efforts raised $55. The adults who assisted her admitted that the amount was small, but said it was also impressive because the project was her sole idea.
"This was tiny, but it was really from the heart," said Lisa Rinaldo, a teacher's aide at Heather's school and Brandafino's aunt. "It touched him that one little kid did this."
Heather is no stranger to helping those in need. Last June, she donated her hair to Locks of Love, which makes wigs for children with medical hair loss. "I would really like to do everything I did again," Heather said.
Brandafino's visit was kept secret until the school's principal, Scott O'Brien, called Heather's name.
"We were all taken back," said Vanessa Vicciardo, Heather's teacher. "Her classmates were blown away by what she's done."
"It's pretty rough not being with your family, so it lightens up your day getting these packages," Brandafino said. "I'm very proud."
Video
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-liflag1412546572mar14,0,5109370.story?track=rss
Ellie