BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
CLARE MARIE CELANO Freehold Borough Police Officer Michael Sweetman helps Park Avenue Elementary School fifth-graders pack up items collected for Marines who are serving in Iraq. Teacher Diane Tennis looks on as pupils Chevelle Brown, 10, Kenny Woolley, 11, and Tah’Ron Bunting, 10, separate the items. FREEHOLD — Members of the Freehold Borough PBA are working with fifth-graders at the Park Avenue Elementary School to provide Marines who are stationed in Iraq with some “luxuries” of life to which they do not have access.
The “luxuries” for Marines and other military personnel are things most people take for granted — packets of sugar, tea, coffee, lip balm, hand lotion, deodorant and snack foods.
The program, Operation Gratitude, sponsored by PBA Local No. 159, is being directed by Patrolman Michael Sweetman.
Sweetman contacted officials in order to adopt Marine Corps Unit MSWW472 stationed in Iraq. He started the project with a collection bin at police headquarters in the Rug Mill Towers on Jackson Street. Now it has expanded it to the borough’s schools and Sweetman is trying to encourage other community organizations to join in the effort as well.
Sweetman wants to provide the military personnel with the items they need until they return to the United States.
Sweetman said he initially approached Craig Dispenza, the police department’s community relations officer, who then contacted Diane Tennis, a fifth grade teacher at the Park Avenue Elementary School. Dispenza is the borough’s DARE officer and teaches fifth-graders at the public schools and at St. Rose of Lima School.
Tennis was happy to help out and what began as a fifth grade project became a schoolwide effort encouraged by Park Avenue Principal Joseph Jerabek, who has offered a prize of an ice cream party to the class which donates the most items.
Students began collecting items on Nov. 29 and will continue their efforts until Dec. 7 when Sweetman will pick them up and get them to the Marines for their eventual shipment overseas.
On a recent day items like hand lotion, hand sanitizers, baby wipes, bug repellent, air fresheners, batteries, sun screen, hard candy, soup, small board games, cans of nuts, powdered drink mix and snacks filled large cardboard boxes that have been wrapped in red crepe paper in Tennis’ classroom. The words “Operation Gratitude” and “Marine Corps Unit MSWW472” stood out on the boxes in bold letters.
Anthony Santoriello, 11, a fifth-grader in Tennis’ class, is happy to take part in this project. Anthony, who is the president of the student council, said he is “giving back to the soldiers for keeping us safe.” He brought in boxes of baby wipes, which he heard were a valuable commodity. He said the wipes are “quicker than a shower.”
Kenny Woolley, 11, decided that a box of Little Debbie brownies was the best thing he could contribute to the operation. He said he wants all of the soldiers “to come home soon.”
Vanessa Rodriguez, 10, brought in tea. She said it makes her feel good to be able to help out.
Nicole Thompkins, 10, who is the secretary of the student council, brought in coffee and toothpaste. She said she cares about the military personnel and wants them to have things that people at home have.
“These men and women are invaluable to us,” Sweetman said. “Delivering these items to make them feel more comfortable is the least we can do to show our appreciation for all they are doing for us. They deserve a great deal more than that.”
The officer, who served in the Air Force security police, said he remembers what it was like to be far away from home.
“Whether you are for or against this war is not the issue. These are our people over there. These men and women are risking their lives every minute of the day and we are obligated to do something for them,” he said.
Items for the military personnel may be dropped off at police headquarters 24 hours a day.
While Park Avenue is the first school to join the effort, students at the Freehold Learning Center, St. Rose of Lima School and Freehold High School are also expected to help out at some point.
Sweetman said community organizations are welcome to join the effort. He said anyone with a relative in Iraq who needs a particular item may contact him at police headquarters and he will do his best to see that it is delivered to the soldier.
“The holidays are approaching and everyone is getting caught up in their own preparation for those holidays,” the officer said. “But we can’t forget that our people are still fighting a war.”