Wanda English Burnett, Editor

The grim reality of the war in Iraq came closer to home recently as news that the remains of tri-state soldier SSGT Matt Maupin of Clermont County, Ohio, were found almost four years to the day after he was captured, April 9, 2004.

The soldiers’ family and friends have kept a vigilant hope that Maupin would still be alive, but that hope was dashed when the official notice was given to the Maupin family that his remains had been found. Thousands are expected to attend public funeral services for the fallen hero on April 27 at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Visitation is set for April 26 at the Union Township Civic Center.

After five years and thousands of American casualties, the news only drives Linda Baker and her group, Operation: Support Our Troops, to keep sending packages and encouragement from home to soldiers in war zones.

The Pierceville based organization has been sending packages for the past four years and will continue to do so “until the war is over,” according to Linda, who says she promised to send packages to troops in war zones until they are safely home.

Last month the local group was bolstered by a group of college students from the University of Minnesota who gave up their spring break, paid their own way, and for the third year came to Milan to spread goodwill.

The Students Today Leaders Forever group met up with Operation: Support Our Troops and members of the Milan Church of Christ youth group to assemble boxes to be mailed to the troops. Together they packaged over 100 boxes, according to Linda, which she said, “was a great help.”

It was almost midnight when the group arrived at Linda’s home, where the garage has been transformed into a headquarters of sorts for Operation: Support Our Troops. “When it started, half of the garage was for her stuff and I had the other half,” noted Linda’s husband, Bill Butte. But, as was evidenced, the entire garage, a 50x60 2-story building, had been taken over by Linda’s group, with shelves displaying anything from a variety of food items to hygiene products and entertainment items. Boxes and bags of garage sale items filled the rest of the spacious area.

But, Bill doesn’t mind, matter of fact, their family is dedicated to the cause. A garage sale, that has become a great fundraiser for the effort, began when the couple’s son, Travis, now 11, said, “If I give you my toys, could you sell them to make some money?” This came at a time shortly after the group started, and when Linda said they were “flat broke.”

Having the students and church youth meant a lot to Linda. “These kids could have done a number of things on their spring break, but this is what they chose,” Linda noted. She said while some people think kids just get into trouble, they should meet these students.

While some students began packing boxes, others sat at tables provided for them to write letters of encouragement and hope to soldiers. “This is just great,” Linda beamed as she interacted with the students.

The effort is massive - expenses are high, but Linda says it’s worth it. “I’ve heard from soldiers who said the packages were the highlight of an otherwise bleak day,” she shared with the Osgood Journal. “Some of these soldiers do not get mail from home, it’s sad,” she continued. Right now Linda’s group send love from home to about 60 soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

While campaign platforms for presidential candidates includes promises of ending the war, the reality is that troops are still involved and others are being sent. Recently, President Bush said tours of duty would be shortened, but, they are still serving. Linda’s promise will continue as long as “she has breath,” and the community continues to rally with her in the effort.

“Everyone has been so generous,” she noted. It takes a lot of commitment to send the boxes. Just the postage alone is massive with it costing anywhere from $10 for a small priority box to $60 for a larger one. “We’ve learned to pack heavy things in the small priority box - because for $10 you can get as much as will fit in the box, no weight limit,” Linda shared.

Although the group’s effort to have a garage sale on the weekend of March 7 was foiled by the heaviest snowfall of the season, the group still managed to raise about $1,000. “We’ll try to have it again this summer,” Linda said. Anyone can donate good slightly used items for the sale.

Also, the day of visitation for SSGT Maupin, April 26, a fundraiser will be held at the Milan school with the proceeds going to the local group. Although the gospel sing was scheduled way ahead of Maupin being returned home, the irony of it all brings home the fact that a local soldier has paid the ultimate price. “What we’re doing seems small compared to that,” concludes Linda.

You can support the troops by attending the event at the Milan High School Cafetorium April 26 at 6 p.m. with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. Gospel singers will include Tom and Joyce Holt and friends, Born Again, Tony Holt and the Wildwood Valley Boys, and Dave and Eva Cook. Admission is free with a free will offering to Operation: Support Our Troops. For more information about this event, you can contact 812-654-3921. If you cannot attend, but would like to make a donation to the group, you can do so by sending a check to Operation: Support Our Troops, c/o Linda Baker, 4127 N. County Road 450 E., Milan, IN 47031.

“All donations are greatly appreciated and they do make a difference,” noted Linda. She also invites people who have a soldier in a “war zone” to send the name and address to her. “We’re always glad to add a name to our list...of course we’re glad to take one off if it means they’ve come home safely,” she shared.

The town is taking applications for a deputy clerk position. It is a part time job for about $3,900 a year, which is $9.00 an hour. Clerk Treasurer Kristi Bartosz said her mother has stage four lung cancer and is having surgery. Depending upon the results, she may have to resign her position.
All three members of the Holton Town Board were in attendance: Paul Hughes, Ryan Lauber, and Angi Farrell. Clerk-Treasurer Kristi Bartosz was present to advise the board. The next regular meeting will be May 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Holton Community Building.