Recruiting for Mitten Duty

By Taylor K. Vecsey

(11/13/2008) Marine Pfc. Paul Schellinger won’t make it home to Springs for the holidays. He is on his first tour of duty, one he volunteered for, with task force military police in Iraq.

Barbara Borsack of East Hampton, who considers the 20-year-old a family member, has started an effort at her church to send mittens as part of a holiday care package to Private Schellinger and his entire unit.

She has only about three weeks to get the packages together, so she has asked for the community’s help.

Private Schellinger grew up in Springs. During most of high school he lived with Karen Mullen and her daughter, Miranda, on Cedar Drive. He graduated from East Hampton High School in 2007. Ms. Borsack and Ms. Mullen are sisters, and Ms. Borsack said that Sunday brunch has traditionally always included Private Schellinger.

In messages over Facebook, the online social network, Private Schellinger seemed excited at the prospect of getting a package from home. He also seemed particularly happy that East Hampton was supporting his fellow marines.

“It’s really hard being away from our friends and family during the holidays, and the only thing we have out here is each other,” he said in a message on Tuesday.

From the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, N.C., he was deployed to join a security task force, the 271 M.P. task force, in Traville on the Syrian border, early last month. The deployment will last at least six months.

Ms. Borsack said this week that her first priority is getting enough mittens knitted to warm the hands of 65 marines. Some members from the Presbyterian Church have already stepped forward, she said, but it is going to take more volunteers to complete the task by Dec. 7.

“We really need the help from the community,” she said yesterday. “I’m looking forward to seeing the reaction from the community.” She said that anyone who is willing to knit will be supplied with yarn and patterns.

In addition to the mittens, Ms. Borsack said, the church is looking for donations for the care packages, an idea that “snowballed in my head” as she thought of ways to reach out to the troops serving during the holidays.

The food items that have been requested are any type of breakfast bars, such as granola or power bars, Lifesavers or other hard candies and mints, gum, and individual drink mixes that can be added to a bottle of water. Chocolate cannot be sent.

She also hopes to include sunglasses, Sunday newspaper comics, lip balm, small bottles of aspirin or Tylenol, playing cards, and new paperback books (best sellers are preferred, and no romance novels, Ms. Borsack said) in the packages.

Letters to Private Schellinger or any of his fellow marines can be included as a way to say “thank you,” Ms. Borsack said.

The church volunteers will pack up the donations on Dec. 8, as mail takes about two weeks to reach the marines in Iraq. Ms. Borsack hopes they will arrive in time for Christmas.

Private Schellinger said that he and his fellow marines often wonder whether people back home realize the significance of what they are doing at war. When he has received letters from his friends and family, “my morale went up and I felt what I was doing was good and people do care.”

All soldiers, he said, look forward to the mail call. “The happiest marine is a marine with a letter or a package,” he said. “Then knowing that your community has come together to support you is a greater feeling. Knowing that we’re reaching out to not just the lives of our friends and family but the guy down the street or the lady at the store, strangers.”

“We love what we’re doing out here,” he said. “And we just want to say thank you for all your support.”

Ms. Borsack said those who are interested in helping her can reach her at her house on Accabonac Road (her phone number is listed under the name of her husband, Ted Borsack) or by e-mail at besb@juno.com.

Ellie Mitten Duty

By Taylor K. Vecsey

(11/13/2008) Marine Pfc. Paul Schellinger won’t make it home to Springs for the holidays. He is on his first tour of duty, one he volunteered for, with task force military police in Iraq.

Barbara Borsack of East Hampton, who considers the 20-year-old a family member, has started an effort at her church to send mittens as part of a holiday care package to Private Schellinger and his entire unit.

She has only about three weeks to get the packages together, so she has asked for the community’s help.

Private Schellinger grew up in Springs. During most of high school he lived with Karen Mullen and her daughter, Miranda, on Cedar Drive. He graduated from East Hampton High School in 2007. Ms. Borsack and Ms. Mullen are sisters, and Ms. Borsack said that Sunday brunch has traditionally always included Private Schellinger.

In messages over Facebook, the online social network, Private Schellinger seemed excited at the prospect of getting a package from home. He also seemed particularly happy that East Hampton was supporting his fellow marines.

“It’s really hard being away from our friends and family during the holidays, and the only thing we have out here is each other,” he said in a message on Tuesday.

From the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, N.C., he was deployed to join a security task force, the 271 M.P. task force, in Traville on the Syrian border, early last month. The deployment will last at least six months.

Ms. Borsack said this week that her first priority is getting enough mittens knitted to warm the hands of 65 marines. Some members from the Presbyterian Church have already stepped forward, she said, but it is going to take more volunteers to complete the task by Dec. 7.

“We really need the help from the community,” she said yesterday. “I’m looking forward to seeing the reaction from the community.” She said that anyone who is willing to knit will be supplied with yarn and patterns.

In addition to the mittens, Ms. Borsack said, the church is looking for donations for the care packages, an idea that “snowballed in my head” as she thought of ways to reach out to the troops serving during the holidays.

The food items that have been requested are any type of breakfast bars, such as granola or power bars, Lifesavers or other hard candies and mints, gum, and individual drink mixes that can be added to a bottle of water. Chocolate cannot be sent.

She also hopes to include sunglasses, Sunday newspaper comics, lip balm, small bottles of aspirin or Tylenol, playing cards, and new paperback books (best sellers are preferred, and no romance novels, Ms. Borsack said) in the packages.

Letters to Private Schellinger or any of his fellow marines can be included as a way to say “thank you,” Ms. Borsack said.

The church volunteers will pack up the donations on Dec. 8, as mail takes about two weeks to reach the marines in Iraq. Ms. Borsack hopes they will arrive in time for Christmas.

Private Schellinger said that he and his fellow marines often wonder whether people back home realize the significance of what they are doing at war. When he has received letters from his friends and family, “my morale went up and I felt what I was doing was good and people do care.”

All soldiers, he said, look forward to the mail call. “The happiest marine is a marine with a letter or a package,” he said. “Then knowing that your community has come together to support you is a greater feeling. Knowing that we’re reaching out to not just the lives of our friends and family but the guy down the street or the lady at the store, strangers.”

“We love what we’re doing out here,” he said. “And we just want to say thank you for all your support.”

Ms. Borsack said those who are interested in helping her can reach her at her house on Accabonac Road (her phone number is listed under the name of her husband, Ted Borsack) or by e-mail at besb@juno.com.

Ellie