Overwhelming response

When I embarked on a mission to send care packages to a family member who is serving in Iraq I had no idea it would take on a life of its own and become one more opportunity for the East End to prove to me that it is the best place on earth. The outpouring from this community has been overwhelming. Not only have I heard from people who want to knit mittens, but others have called to say they'd like to help in other ways. One group wants to pay the postage costs. Another wants to provide socks. One person promised to go to Canal Street in NYC to look for sunglasses. I even heard from someone who works at MTV who wants to collect things at work to be sent with our packages. He read about it in the local paper.


When my husband had a heart attack fifteen years ago we were similarly overwhelmed at the response of the community. We looked at each other more than once and remarked that we felt as though we were in the old Jimmy Stewart classic "It's a Wonderful Life". We were made well aware of the way we touch each other's lives in a small town and how the community spirit here makes it such a great place to live. It's something we have never forgotten.

And now here we are again, reminded that this a community that cares for its own. Because a local boy is serving in Iraq, and it doesn't matter whether we know him or not - he's one of ours. And, as one woman said to me on the phone the other day "It doesn't matter what you think of this war - we have to take care of the kids".

I couldn't have said it any better myself...