The West Windsor and Plainsboro communities worked together to send supplies and holiday cards to Ian Petri stationed in Iraq. Petri, a member of the Marine Corps Band, is a graduate of High School South, Class of 2005. Michael Perl and the High School South Pirate Marching Band coordinated the efforts.##M:[more]##
Petri, a corporal of the guard with Tactical Air Command Center Security, is part of a unit that guards Al Asad airbase, a large military airport about 20 miles west of Fallujah in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Petri, a non-commissioned officer, was featured in an article in “Desert Warrior” in October.
“He is Corporal of the Guard there and supervises men underneath him,” says his father Henry Petri. “We are very proud of his work. When he returns home, he will continue to serve his country as a percussionist in the US Marine Corps base band at his home base, Miramar, in San Diego, California.”
“A total of 17 boxes were sent out — totaling about 357 pounds,” says Michael Perl, band president. “Ian is going to be ecstatic to see all of these packages arrive in his name. I know that it will mean so much to him and his buddies overseas to see that we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers during this holiday season.”
Donations collected from the red Harry’s Heroes bin in the West Windsor Public Library were included in this shipment. (Harry’s Heroes was started by Stephanie Perl (Michael’s older sister) in memory of their grandfather, Harry Perl, a former West Windsor resident.
Adam Schuit, a junior at High School North and a member of Boy Scout Troop 40, donated close to 90 first aid kits he received from Johnson & Johnson for the recent Ten-Commandments Hike and the extra tooth brushes that Church and Dwight also donated for the Hike.
“Our soldiers will especially appreciate these items knowing that they were originally donated as part of our effort to help encourage religious tolerance among different faiths, which is one of the goals of our troops in Iraq and other places in the world they are serving in during this holiday season,” says Schuit.
Supplies sent also included food, stationery, cards, toiletries, books, candy, cards, and games. The band also donated sheet music for Ian and his marine band as well holiday cards and notes written by the band members to the soldiers. The band paid for the shipping of the supplies via the U.S. mail. “This was a tremendous showing of Pirate Pride,” says Perl. “Everyone in the band feels extremely proud of this accomplishment.”
