TERRE HAUTE —
Skittles are among the most-requested items by American military personnel serving overseas.
So on Tuesday, students and staff members at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College made sure to include the tasty rainbow-colored candies into care packages put together in observance of the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Snack foods, personal care items, tissues, hair ties, pens and pencils were packed into 50 separate bags to be shipped overseas. Several cards of appreciation include handwritten messages thanking the service people for their contributions to the war effort.
“I have a couple of family members in active duty,” said student Kirstin O’Rourke of Terre Haute as she stood at a table in the military resource area of LeFer Hall, filling bags.
Julia Fears said she was an 8-year-old student at St. Patrick’s School on the morning of the terror attacks, and she remembers teachers turning on televisions so the students could follow the news. It was terrifying to many students, she said, because many of the youngsters did not know where the World Trade Center was located, or how the event would affect their families.
“I just vividly remember 9/11,” Fears said, “and ever since then, my family and I have made it a point to do a service project on 9/11.”
She said her younger sister remembers the school day being interrupted by all the commotion, with the youngster being upset that she did not get to “slay the last dragon” in a computer learning program that she was playing.
Student Nicole Grimsley of Nevada took time to write thank you cards to be sent with the care packages.
Grimsley said many of her family members have served in the military, and she also always wanted to be in the military, but is unable to serve because of a disability. Writing the notes to those overseas, however, makes her feel close to them, she said.
Malia Mohan, coordinator of campus ministry at SMWC, said a brief moment of silence at 9 a.m. was attended by about 10 people commemorating the America lives lost in the terror attacks. The service project began immediately after, and continued through the day as students and staff stopped by between classes to help.
Mohan said the names of 14 service members were collected for the project, and some of those are people who do not receive care packages from home. This is the first year that campus ministry has organized a service project for 9/11, and it probably won’t be the last, she said.
Reporter Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @TribStarLisa.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza For the ones over there: Malia Mohan, coordinator of campus ministry at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, places a care package in a satchel Tuesday in the Le Fer Hall's military resource area. In the background is Kim DisPennett, administrative assistant for academic affairs.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza A few words of encouragement: Elizabeth Coley, associate director of campus life at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, writes a note for a military member on a Thank You card Tuesday in LeFer Hall.
Discussion
Day of service done with care
Students, staff at SMWC create care packages for those serving overseas
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