thedrifter
07-29-07, 06:55 AM
Marines help raise money for children
By KEN PETERSON
kpeterson@thespectrum.com
ST. GEORGE - Present and former members of the United States Marine Corps held a USMC appreciation day Saturday in the parking lot of Sportsman's Warehouse to raise money for kids and to help Marines and their families.
Marines wearing shirts emblazoned with the words "Pain is a weakness leaving the body" were seen visiting with those who attended the event, which included a dunk tank, food, an obstacle course and live music by the Western Bone Cleavers.
USMC Staff Sgt. Brandon Smith said the event was to raise money for Toys for Tots, KONY Coins for Kids and to help deployed marines and their families in the Southern Utah area.
Six St. George Marines are currently getting ready to deploy to Iraq on Sept. 4, he said.
The event was also designed to increase interest and raise recruitment in the Corps.
"The National Guard is so well known in Southern Utah, so we've got to try and smoke them," Smith said. "And the Marine Corps has no problem doing that."
"We got the biggest USMC League Detachment in the state of Utah here in St. George," Smith said.
Michael Thomas, league member, said the organization is a group of veterans who served either in the marines or in the United States Navy as a corpsman with the Fleet Marine Force.
Jack Chapman, league member, said the marines from World War II were their real heroes.
Bob Mimnaugh, a marine who served during during World War II at Guadalcanal, said he appreciated the event because it helps marines.
"Once a marine, always a marine," Mimnaugh said.
Thomas said the league involvement also includes raising money to support and meet the emergency needs of fellow marines, support wounded troops coming back from Iraq and send select youths through the USMC's Devil Pup program at the 1st USMC Division at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
"This program is designed to give young people a sense of what the Corps is like, give them an 'I can' attitude and a sense of achievement," Thomas said.
Ellie
By KEN PETERSON
kpeterson@thespectrum.com
ST. GEORGE - Present and former members of the United States Marine Corps held a USMC appreciation day Saturday in the parking lot of Sportsman's Warehouse to raise money for kids and to help Marines and their families.
Marines wearing shirts emblazoned with the words "Pain is a weakness leaving the body" were seen visiting with those who attended the event, which included a dunk tank, food, an obstacle course and live music by the Western Bone Cleavers.
USMC Staff Sgt. Brandon Smith said the event was to raise money for Toys for Tots, KONY Coins for Kids and to help deployed marines and their families in the Southern Utah area.
Six St. George Marines are currently getting ready to deploy to Iraq on Sept. 4, he said.
The event was also designed to increase interest and raise recruitment in the Corps.
"The National Guard is so well known in Southern Utah, so we've got to try and smoke them," Smith said. "And the Marine Corps has no problem doing that."
"We got the biggest USMC League Detachment in the state of Utah here in St. George," Smith said.
Michael Thomas, league member, said the organization is a group of veterans who served either in the marines or in the United States Navy as a corpsman with the Fleet Marine Force.
Jack Chapman, league member, said the marines from World War II were their real heroes.
Bob Mimnaugh, a marine who served during during World War II at Guadalcanal, said he appreciated the event because it helps marines.
"Once a marine, always a marine," Mimnaugh said.
Thomas said the league involvement also includes raising money to support and meet the emergency needs of fellow marines, support wounded troops coming back from Iraq and send select youths through the USMC's Devil Pup program at the 1st USMC Division at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
"This program is designed to give young people a sense of what the Corps is like, give them an 'I can' attitude and a sense of achievement," Thomas said.
Ellie