Children reach out to soldiers at warPreschool honors memory of Michael DeasonBy DONNA HICKMAN
Daily Journal Staff WriterJul 13, 2007 - 11:01:57 CDT More PhotosDOE RUN � They may not understand what it means to be a soldier at war, but the children of Adventures in Learning Daycare West know something about the comfort to be found in a blanket from home. So, this week, the kids have made patches to put on blankets to be sent to American troops overseas.
Teacher�s Assistant Ashley Deason has helped the pre-school kids understand what soldiers do as they have made cards and flags and colored pages to send. It�s Support Our Troops week at the school. And while Ashley has taught the children about the bravery of the soldiers, she has also taught them about the sacrifice. Her big brother, Michael, was killed in Iraq almost a year ago.
�This idea is because of God and my brother,� she explained. �I did it for him. I know he believed in what he was doing. Our troops need to know we support them.�
When Ashley found out a group called �Soldier�s Angels� made blankets, she decided to make some herself. Then, she enlisted the children.
Thursday, with a white square of fabric in front of each of them and a marker in their hands, each child began to color. Maddeline wrote her name and the word, �love.� Cameron, 5, made a patch that read, �I love soldiers.� Lane, 3, put blue and yellow dots on a page and admitted, �It�s not a picture of no one or nothing � it�s just a picture.�
Ashley has told the children about the brother she called, �Bubby,� and has shown the children pictures of him. Staff Sergeant Michael Deason grew up in Desloge and was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He was killed Aug. 31, 2006 while on patrol in Iraq. Hundreds of people in the Parkland lined the funeral procession to his grave last September.
�What do soldiers do?� Ashley asked the children as they prepared to work.
�They help our country!� said Cameron.
They learned about sharing as they swapped markers to add more colors. They learned about caring as �Miss Ashley� showed them the blankets she had made with patches that read �God bless you� and �Faith.� Ashley made yellow ribbons of support to put on the walls. She sent others home to parents with a message about her brother.
Even the babies found a way to be involved as teacher Trish King made a map of the United States and put each child�s footprint across it with his or her name. She wrote, �Because you serve the USA, We walk in freedom every day.�
Older children in the summer program wrote messages of thanks to the soldiers. The cards will go to a program called �Thanks a Million.�
Ann Hartwig, Ironton, helped Ashley with her project. She is a member of the �Soldier�s Angels� and said cards can be dropped off at the Iron County Drug Store. She also accepts packages of snacks or other non-perishable items like CDs, books and toothbrushes to send to soldiers who might not get support from home.
�I teach school and my students and I wanted to do something for the soldiers who may not get much mail,� Hartwig explained. �I researched this group and decided to help. I write a letter a week and send a package a month to a solider. It makes me feel so good. I just love it.�
She has heard from some of the soldiers to whom she has written. Though they have never met, she feels a strong connection.
�I just talked to a soldier from San Antonio today,� she explained. �He called me. He was wounded in Iraq. One of his friends was killed. He has a head injury and he told me he will get a Purple Heart on the 24th at Fort Hood.�
She said she believes it teaches her students how lucky they are to have people who take care of them. And they have the chance to help care for someone else. To find out more, call Hartwig at 573-546-2000 or go to http://soldiersangels.org.
Friday, the children at Adventures in Learning took part in a balloon launch with balloons donated by the Deason family. Leaders hope the week of activities help even the youngest children see they can do something that matters.
�Every time I�m out on the playground and I hear the children talk about their big brothers they call �Bubby,� I remember Michael and this is just another way to show I won�t forget,� said Ashley.
Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at [email protected]. Donna Hickman | Daily Journal'; NewImg[0] = '/content/articles/2007/07/13/news/doc46979af1ce3f8539918920.jpg'; img1 = new Image(); img1.src = '/content/articles/2007/07/13/news/doc46979af1ce3f85399189201.jpg'; Cutline[1] = 'From left Madeline and Casey work on their squares while Clay shows his completed one for the blankets Ashley Deason will make to send to the troops. - Donna Hickman | Daily Journal'; NewImg[1] = '/content/articles/2007/07/13/news/doc46979af1ce3f85399189201.jpg'; img2 = new Image(); img2.src = '/content/articles/2007/07/13/news/doc46979af1ce3f85399189202.jpg'; Cutline[2] = '\"That\'s awesome,\" Ashley Deason says to Daytona as another colorful square is ready for a soldier\'s quilt. Deason\'s big brother, Michael, was killed in Iraq almost a year ago. - Donna Hickman ImgLength) { ImgNum = 0; } if (ImgNum document.write(''); document.write(Cutline[0]); The children of Adventures in Learning Daycare, West, in Doe Run show the brightly colored squares they've made as part of the school's "Support Our Troops" week. - Donna Hickman | Daily Journal
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