Col. Johnson along with other members of the 24th
Marine Expeditionary Unit present Lee Kennedy with a plaque in appreciation
for the Company's
support.
HR Manager Clare Costello with Col. Johnson. Costello
was instrumental in organizing the efforts to support the troops.
|  |
Having just
returned from serving in Iraq, members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary
Unit (MEU) visited Lee Kennedy Co., Inc. to present a plaque
of special recognition thanking the company for the numerous
care packages and continued support the Unit received on behalf
of Lee Kennedy Co. employees.
The 24th MEU is a Marine Air Ground Task Force based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Unit is commanded by Duxbury native Colonel Ronald J. Johnson. The 24th MEU returned from Iraq in February, following a seven-month deployment in the turbulent “Triangle of Death” south of Baghdad. Members of the Unit were in Boston on a four-day visit for the decommissioning of the USS John F. Kennedy.
Human resources manager Clare Costello spearheaded the donation drive. “It’s amazing how the littlest things we take for granted here are coveted commodities for the guys and girls serving in the Middle East. Gatorade, Kleenex, Slim Jims… our troops are desperate for the simple things that comprise everyday American life, yet are completely unavailable to them overseas.”
The cause is particularly endearing to company founder Lee M. Kennedy. Kennedy
was a Corporal in a Marine Corps Artillery Unit. He served in the Korean War
and throughout various parts of the Pacific during his years in the Corps. Likewise,
Robert Howe, who sits on the Lee Kennedy Co. Board of Directors, was a Marine
Second Lieutenant Platoon Leader in the Vietnam War.
Lee Kennedy Co. employees contributed everything from Crystal Light to tuna
fish, and dental floss to Under Armour. The company sent care packages directly
to the 24th MEU and also sent packages in conjunction with Any Soldier, Inc.
Any Soldier is a volunteer effort founded in 2003 by Army Sergeant Brian Horn,
173rd Airborne Brigade, while in the Kirkuk area of Iraq.
Visit www.anysoldier.com for more information on how to send packages to troops in the Middle East.
<< back
|
