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AHS students rally behind soldier's project |
| BL » News » AHS students rally behind soldier's project |
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December 24, 2003 |
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This article by Chris Wilson was reprinted with permission from the Dec. 24, 2003, edition of The Amory Advertiser in Amory, Miss.
A group of Amory High School students recently answered a call for making some children in Iraq happy.
A few months ago, Staff Sgt. Russell Taylor, who is stationed in Iraq as a medic with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, made a plea through a Letter to the Editor in The Amory Advertiser for toys for the children in Iraq.
"We are doing many outstanding things here for the Iraqi people," Taylor had written in his letter. "For example, my medical section is responsible for several small medical clinics that we secure money for, and [we] use it to renovate and make them a better place to treat people."
In his letter, Taylor asked the people in Amory if they could provide some things for the children, especially clothes, children's books and toys. "Yes, there are still many bad people here, but there are an immense number of very good, God-fearing people here who just want to lead a normal life like you. ... The kids play just like your kids do, they hurt just like your kids do, and they cry just the same also."
The AHS Health Cluster students, who are students considering health-related occupations, volunteer at Beverly Healthcare of Amory each week. The students responded to Taylor's call for help, and did a toy drive. The student volunteers, along with the nursing home residents, collected 125 toys for the Iraqi children. The students and residents also made Christmas cookies to include in the packages.
According to Beverly recreational services director Dian Lindsey, the project was a wonderful experience for students and residents alike, who packaged up the items for shipment in six big boxes around Thanksgiving.
Taylor is the son of Bill and Rose Taylor of Amory. His wife, Anita, and son, Michael, live in Tennessee.
Taylor is a 1994 graduate of Amory High School and was once a member of the AHS Health Cluster class himself. He, too, had spent school time volunteering at the Beverly nursing home. Lindsey said she thinks Taylor will be touched to know that the AHS students are still caring about others, including the children in Iraq.
Taylor's mother, Rose, said as an EMT, her son is in the thick of the action and was even injured slightly while doing rescue work when a U.S. helicopter crashed and burned.
Taylor was able to call home recently and told his family that the Iraqi people are very cautious and anxious because troops have had to go into homes looking for weapons. He said when he comes to their door with toys for the children, they are at first frightened until they find that the soldiers are bearing gifts for their children.
Taylor is expected to return to the United States in February.
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