Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rally concludes Operation Care Package, 22 boxes sent to soldiers

Operation Care Package reached its conclusion with a rally for the troops recently.

The rally was held to help gather items American troops overseas are in need of, along with recognizing "local heroes."

There was a packed house at the Potlatch Building at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, after weather forced the event to be moved from the courthouse lawn.

Brandi Karlovec, the mistress of ceremonies, said more than 20 names were collected, with money and items the soldiers need being donated by local and area citizens. Area schools also participated in the event.

"This is a good community to live in," Karlovec said. "People support each other." She thanked everyone who helped make Operation Care Package a success.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor read the names of officers with the Prescott Police Department and firemen with the Prescott Fire Department. He also read the names of those working for the Nevada County Rescue Unit and Nevada County Ambulance Service.

Angie Barbaree, a fourth grade teacher at Prescott Elementary School, said students in her home room collected gifts for the soldiers. These gifts included: playing cards, toilet paper, shampoo, hot chocolate and a pillow.

"The children are concerned with what's going on in the world," she said. "They wanted to do something and were thrilled to help. We have a lot to learn from our children. I'm proud of them."

Col. David Lynch, Post Commander at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, said this type of activity is appreciated by the soldiers.

"You are displaying your First Amendment right," he said, "and as soldiers we like to defend the right to peaceful assembly."

Lynch said the 20th century taught us the world will never be a safe place to live, and freedom requires the selfless of our armed forces.

"Today's soldiers are the truest heroes," he said. "We owe them our fullest thanks."

Lynch said his wife had given him a book on short stories about conflicts during the 20th century. He told of one which took place in 1953 on Freedom Bridge at the end of the Korean Conflict.

It seems the when the U.S. and UN forces released the Chinese and North Korean prisoners of war, the former prisoners were well-fed and healthy. These soldiers cursed and spat at their former captors.

When UN and U.S. prisoners were released, the men hobbled and staggered across the bridge. They were gaunt and emaciated, showing signs of having been abused. All had dull eyes.

One, Lynch said, staggered, fell and refused help. He managed to make it to where a soldier was holding the American flag, where he fell again, but tugged at the flag. The soldier holding the flag, lowered it, with the former P.O.W. covering his face with it.

The village, Lynch said, was cemetery quiet when this happened. A member of the military police picked the fallen solder up and carried him like a baby to a waiting ambulance.

"Soldiers," Lynch said, "know freedom is never free."

Sgt. First Class Lewis Paige, of Arkadelphia, told what it was like to be the parent of a soldier.

Paige's son, Cory, graduated from Prescott High School in 2001. Cory is currently in Kuwait, but will soon be shipping out to Iraq.

Paige said it feels good to know he's helped train some of the troops in Iraq.

Cory, he said, always talked about being in the military.

"I know my son is in danger," he said, "but I'm concerned for all the soldiers there.

"I had mixed emotions when we started this war. I thought it was wrong." After doing research, Paige changed his mind about the war.

Baghdad, he said, was built on the remains of what was Babylon.

"We should continue to pray for them and think positive things," he said, "and not dwell on the negative."

Paige's son is with the 101st Airborne division as an airplane mechanic.

Brent Talley was the final speaker. He read a letter from Congressman Mike Ross.

Ross congratulated the men and women of the armed forces for the job they do to insure freedom.

He wrote of visiting wounded soldiers in Germany and how glad they were to receive get well cards from students.

There was also plenty of entertainment at the rally.

Karolvec performed, as did her daughter, Lexi. Whitney Lowdermilk, Angela Preston and Rudy Preston did solos, with the Artesian Arts League choir also singing. Barbara Brown recited a poem she wrote for the soldiers.

The donations were taken to the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, where they were divided up and shipped to the soldiers from this area.