Andrea Mesh has led
drive to supply GIs
with quality of life items
CHRIS KELLY Antoinette Facchini (l-r), Roe Schirripa and Andrea Mesh look over one of the many cards made by children to be sent to military personnel currently stationed in Iraq. Mesh has coordinated drives in Marlboro that have resulted in quality-of-life items being sent to the servicemen and women.
to help U.S. servicemen
Andrea Mesh has led
drive to supply GIs
with quality of life items
By larry ramer
Staff Writer
MARLBORO — Andrea Mesh is trying to make life a little easier for local soldiers who find themselves serving in the harsh conditions in Iraq.
Since the war in Iraq started, and ended, Mesh has been purchasing and sending various products to soldiers in Iraq, based on requests from the GIs. Most of the soldiers who have received packages from Mesh attended high school in Marlboro, Manalapan, Freehold or Colts Neck. The soldiers and their family members have been extremely grateful for the products sent by Mesh, who is acting on her own initiative.
She has led donation drives that have resulted in quality of life items being sent to area servicemen.
Marlboro is footing the bill for a portion of the products Mesh has sent, while the other goods have been donated by area businesses. Several individuals in Marlboro’s municipal offices, the Marlboro Police Department, at the Marlboro Improvement and Cultural Fund, and the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township, have also aided the effort in various ways.
The soldiers have recently begun requesting new products, Mesh said. Many GIs are now asking for CDs and DVDs.
"They left with the same five CDs and they’re getting tired of listening to the same music over and over again," Mesh explained. "Also, in Baghdad, the Iraqis play religious music all night, so the soldiers need their own music to fall asleep with."
One soldier who contracted food poisoning from eating the local cuisine asked Mesh to send microwavable foods and she promptly complied with the request. Mesh sent another soldier baby powder, which he reported has effectively repelled the aggressive Iraqi mosquitoes.
Some of the soldiers’ requests have remained unchanged since the war began. For example, Mesh has been sending baby wipes, which the soldiers use as a substitute for showers, since the beginning of the war. Some of the soldiers in Baghdad still do not have access to showers, so Mesh continues to send them baby wipes. One grateful soldier wrote, "The baby wipes and a bucket of water do the job" of a shower.
In fact, many thankful soldiers and their families have written letters of praise to and about Mesh. Jeff Cantor of Marlboro is a major who is serving in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk.
In a letter to the editor he sent via email to the News Transcript, Cantor wrote, "It’s people like Andrea (Mesh), who I consider one of the silent heroes. No one told her she had to send us care packages, she just did it out of the kindness of her heart. There should be more people like Andrea Mesh. I would like to personally thank her and all of the people who donated items that have been sent to us."
The mother of a soldier now serving in Iraq wrote to Mesh and said, "How can I ever thank you for all you have done to ease the difficult situation for mothers that ache for their sons’, daughters’ and husbands’ safe return?"
A Marine wrote, "My fellow Marines and I would like to thank you for your packages. You and all who contributed are true patriots. We do our job on the battlefield while you all do yours as supportive, patriotic citizens."
Mesh said she enjoys helping the soldiers."I feel wonderful about doing something to help the guys that are doing something for all of us."
She said she is gratified and humbled by the praise and thanks she has received. After portions of Cantor’s letter were read to her she said, "I am so touched. I don’t feel I’m doing much. For him to say that is so amazing."
In general, Mesh said, she’s "doing small things with a lot of love."
Mesh thanked the following people for their support of her efforts: Mayor Matthew Scannapieco; Linda Sansone and Angela Cipoletti of the mayor’s office; Marlboro Public Information Officer Susan Levine; Chief Robert Holmes, Capt. Danny Schick and Fran Del’Re of the Marlboro Police Department; John Saffioti and Lynne Gustman of Marlboro Recreation; Annie Stattel of the YMCA of Western Monmouth County; Steve Shifrinson, the principal of Marlboro’s Robertsville School; Antoinette Facchini, who started Marlboro’s Yellow Ribbon Drive and whose son is an Army Ranger; Laurie Wiesel; Harry Mesh; and all the caring citizens of Marlboro.