WAPELLO, Iowa — A chance meeting in the Wapello post office this summer culminated in a public service project for about 80 elementary students this week.

Substitute teacher Marge Haganman was chatting with Adrianna Hammond while the latter was mailing a package to her son, Josh, who is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq. 

When the mother sends packages to her son, she sends enough treats for 26 and Josh shares the goodies with his platoon, which is often sequestered in the desert where there is little contact with civilization and the only food is packaged Meals Ready To Eat (MREs). Everything is carried on their backs and there is no room for extras such as snacks. The platoon has been in Iraq since late July.

Haganman later contacted  Wapello Elementary School Principal LaDonna Underwood, who in turn told the teaching staff about the young man. Soon, the entire Wapello third-grade class and some first-graders had adopted Josh Hammond and his 26 fellow Marines of the 2/8 Weapons Co. as a service   project.

Adrianna Hammond found herself in front of the students, with tears in her eyes, telling them about her 19-year-old son and showing them pictures of him.

Although his parents and grandparents are Wapello natives, Joshua lived in Wapello less than a year after he was born at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. His parents (his father is Max) lived in several towns before recently returning to Wapello. 

The students sent letters to Josh and became pen pals with him. Each of the four classrooms has his photo on the wall.

“It was very touching for the students to adopt him, especially when he hadn’t been a local resident,” Adrianna Hammond said. “And especially since they adopted the whole platoon.”

Underwood, who approved a field trip to Wal-Mart to buy snacks, toiletry products and CDs, said being a good citizen is part of the school program.

“The community helps the school a huge amount,” Underwood said. “They sent donations to fill a wish list from the Marines.”

As the word spread, about $400 was collected. Donations came in and some of the students did extra chores at home to earn money.

Paul Johnson, 9, said the field trip was fun and his group chose several items like CDs, cookies and other “stuff that Josh needs.”

Paul’s sister, Madison, 8, said she knows about the war in Iraq. Her dad’s friend is going there Dec. 8. In the meantime, she is worried about Josh and his platoon.

“I got him some country music CDs to make him feel better,” Madison said. “We haven’t heard from him in a long time.”

Paul and Madison’s mother, Ann Johnson, said the experience has been a good way to teach the children that “giving is better than receiving.”

Josh Hammond’s sister, Samantha Rosbury of Wapello, said she and her mother were amazed that the community would donate that much money for a boy who wasn’t even born in Iowa.

According to third-grade teacher Bev Kuntz, the project is teaching the students to honor the men and women who are serving the country, as well as teaching them kindness, thoughtfulness and citizenship — which are part of the school’s Character Counts’ Pillars of Character program.

Character Counts is a widely implemented approach to character education embraced by thousands of schools  and communities across the country that promote  the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship.

Josh Hammond expects to return to the United States in February 2007 and has promised to visit the children in March.

Josh also has a brother in the military, Christopher Hammond, 21, is stationed at Fort Rucker in Alabama, training to be a pilot.

Contact Connie Street at: 319-527-8164 or ckcasey@louisacomm.net