West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company packs four boxes to benefit a son — and his entire troop
By: Emily Craighead
WEST WINDSOR In a few weeks, 23-year-old Vince Vella may be curled up on his cot, watching "The Longest Yard" on DVD and munching on Christmas cookies.
He’ll have a little piece of home to cheer him up during the holidays while he is far away in Ramadi, Iraq.
"They’re out there doing their work, but we’re taking care of them," said his mother, Kerry Vella.
She and members of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company got together over the weekend to pack up four boxes of goodies to send her son and other members of his unit. Ms. Vella is a member of the Ladies Auxiliary and her husband, Tony Vella, is president of the fire company.
They stuffed stockings for each of the men, baked cookies, packed dozens of DVDs and sent 50 pairs of socks and gloves.
Community service whether fighting fires at home or serving overseas is important in the Vella family.
"It’s important to give back," Ms. Vella said. "We have to remember sometimes how lucky we are."
Sgt. Vella graduated from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South and has two younger brothers.
Sgt. Vella’s unit of the Army National Guard has been stationed in Ramadi since June. The city is about 70 miles from Baghdad, and it is one of several cities with Sunni majorities along the Euphrates River. The population is about 400,000.
Ms. Vella said her son used to give candy she sent him to Iraqi children, but over the past few months, tensions between the American soldiers and Iraqis have increased.
"They used to go into towns and mingle, but that is not happening anymore," Ms. Vella said.
She stays in touch with her son through the digital photographs he sends home. Different photos show him posing with his gun, posing with a stuffed animal and sipping a cup of Iraqi tea.
Sgt. Vella and his family speak on the phone only every three weeks or so, but they e-mail each other every other day.
"Sometimes all it says is, ‘I’m OK,’ but that’s all you want to hear," Ms. Vella said.
While Sgt. Vella is far away in Iraq, the rest of the Vella family will spend Christmas in West Windsor, looking forward to his phone call.