???Danielle Devlin, 11, and her friend Julia Pendino, 9, are hoping their church and perhaps the community at large can build up this fundraiser. Not for them, but for other children, namely, in Afghanistan.
???”We’ll carry it all the way there,” Danielle joked.
???Danielle said the idea began early in April, while she was actually brainstorming an idea to help the people affected by the Japanese earthquake in March. She said Mary Maleski, the Director of Children and Youth Ministries at the church, suggested gathering candies for the children in Afghanistan instead, and Danielle said she immediately liked the idea. So, she said, she began the collection drive after she announced it at the church.
???”It’s going to soldiers to give to the children,” Danielle explained. “The children, you know, kids love candy. The kids are scared of the soldiers so the soldiers can give a peace offering.”
???Ms. Maleski said in an e-mail that she received the idea after talking with Army 1st Lt. Peter Thompson, a West Point graduate and Lawrenceville resident who was serving in Basrah, Iraq. She said 1st Lt. Thompson described how children would run to see his platoon as they located and disarmed IEDs on the roadways, but the children had very mixed reactions toward the Americans, with some waving and greeting them while others viewing them with dread.???She said 1st Lt. Thompson requested hard candy, saying it “goes a long way” winning the children over. He told Ms. Maleski that he believed if they can make the children happy, they will make their parents happy.
???”’If the parents are happy, maybe we won’t encounter so many IEDs on patrol,’” Ms. Maleski quoted 1st Lt. Thompson as saying.
???Sheri Devlin, Danielle’s mother, said she was happy to see her daughter embark on the gathering.
???”It’s good that (she) wanted to help people,” Ms. Devlin said. “I’m glad that she’s interested in helping.”
???Though the effort began early last month, Ms. Devlin was aware of the timing. One month into the collection, Osama Bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center who was considered by many to be the reason the military entered Afghanistan, was killed in an assault at his compound in Pakistan. Though Danielle said she didn’t see think it would change her efforts, Ms. Devlin thought it might bring more people out to help.
???”I think we’ll get more support. More people will want to thank the troops,” Ms. Devlin said.
???They were specifically looking for hard candies rather than chocolates and soft candies since those can melt in the hot desert climate in most of Afghanistan.
???Julia said they hoped to gather “a lot,” though when asked how much, their goal kept increasing.
???”At least a full bin,” Danielle said.
???”At least 150 pounds?” Ms. Devlin asked her daughter.
???”Yeah!” Danielle said, hugging Julia. “That’s our weight together!”
???Though a church effort, Ms. Devlin said anyone in the community is welcome to drop off bags of hard candy at the First Presbyterian Church’s main office from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday or inside the church 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. People can also leave the bags at the back porch of the Wilson House, located on the church property at 320 N. Main St., outside of those hours.
