Restaurant runs holiday troop drive

By melissa guay,
mguay@poststar.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007 2:17 AM EDT

GANSEVOORT -- Growing up in France during World War II has cemented Pierrette Baldwin's opinion regarding war, but not since her grandson's deployment to Iraq has the nation's most recent conflict come so close to home.

Baldwin's grandson, Lance Cpl. Patrick Baldwin, has been in Iraq for about a month, along with the Marines 2nd Battalion, 4th Platoon, 1/8 Alpha Company. Pierrette Baldwin is the owner of Chez Pierre Restaurant in Gansevoort, where she's running an ongoing troop drive for holiday cards and supplies to send to Iraq.

"War is one of the worst things that can happen to any family. I'm very close with my grandson, and he's a wonderful kid," Baldwin said. "Our restaurant has become like a family, and our customers have been very supportive.

"People can just come in and drop off the cards in the box. We want to let (the soldiers) know we're thinking of them."

Baldwin said she'll be collecting holiday cards and any other items people may want to send at Chez Pierre until the first week of December, when she said she'll mail them so they will make it to Iraq in time for the holidays.

"We'll take the cards and items Tuesday through Sunday, from 3 p.m. on," she said. "My family sends lots of packages over, and we're really looking for people to bring cards with holiday wishes for the soldiers. We'll take whatever people may want to donate."

Chez Pierre is located at 979 Route 9 in Gansevoort.

Ellie