Operation Backpack is a combined military effort to acquire school supplies for the “Hit (heat) Girls School” in Hit, Iraq. The soldiers serving in the area have requested help in assembling 900 backpacks filed with a specific list of schools supplies to accommodate the girls who will attend the school.

The Al Asad Base Command Group, serving the Bagdad region, is made up of Army, Navy and Air Force and is sponsoring the project. Chaplin Rick Townes serves with the Marine unit 1/7 and is the coordinator of “Operation Backpack”. The Marines in unit 1/7 serve with “Boots on the Ground” and will be responsible for security and distribution. Navy Chaplin LT. Beth Stalinga was initially stationed in Iraq working the project and has now returned to the US and serves as the US contact for the project. Navy Chaplin Lt. Steve Mills serves on the ground in Iraq and will coordinate the project in Iraq.

Greg Ciaccio is a Senior Master Chief serving in the Gulf around Bahrain and Afghanistan. He said “It is common for the military to build or remodel an existing building for a school. Then there are no supplies to operate the school.” Greg said, “If you want to be a hero go out in the neighbor hood and distribute pens, paper and candy.” He feels it’s a good way to influence the children. “They will remember what the Americans did for them when they grow up and they will carry that message back to their parents”.

The Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg is sponsoring this project in the Williamsburg area and is spearheading the effort to get the Kiwanis Capitol District involved as well. We have set up a fund drive called “Kiwanis Operation Backpack”.

This program is a win-win. We help our soldiers carry out a project that they have chosen to sponsor and by supporting them we help children get an education and we meet our mission as Kiwanians, changing the world, one child, one community at a time.

You can sponsor a backpack by your donation of $25 for each pack. This includes the backpack, supplies and shipping. You may of course sponsor as many packs as you like. We will purchase the packs and the supplies that fill them in quantity and ship them to Iraq in the name of “Kiwanis”.

For additional information or to hand deliver your donation, contact:

Wade Quinn DC, Project Chairman
Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg
757-253-1900
Email: Wade Quinn by Clicking Here