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By Rose Hooper
A taste of home recently arrived in Baghdad, Iraq, for members
of the N.C. National Guard's 210th Military Police Co.
Each of the 127 Western North Carolina soldiers received a case
of bottled water, thanks to Operation Mountain Water, and the
efforts of Connie Hanna and Carrie Gates.
Woodmen
of the World Rangers Lodge 1470 in Sylva donated $500 towards
Operation Mountain Water. The money went toward postal expenses
to ship bottled water to members of the N.C. National Guard's
210th Military Police Co. now serving in Iraq. From left are Woodmen
field representative Bill Moore; Woodmen Rangers Kelly Moore,
Kayla Moore and Ashley Gates; and Carrie Gates, co-director of
Operation Mountain Water.
"It all started with a request from Sgt. Johnny
Jaimez," said Hanna. "He has been my son Andy's best
friend since first grade and an honorary son to me all these years.
"Johnny called me from Baghdad, and I asked him if there
was anything he needed. He said all he would like was some water
from the mountains back home so that's what I went to work on."
Hanna enlisted the aid of her colleague, Carrie Gates, at N.C.
Center for the Advancement of Teaching. The two began soliciting
water and donations for postage.
Together, Carolina Mountain Water in Cashiers and Cherokee Bottled
Water donated the 127 cases.
"Central Carolina Bank gave us a bank account and began to
receive donations," said Hanna. "Woodmen of the World
and its Rangers, Jackson Paper Co. and Scotts Creek Baptist Church
jump started the project with large donations.
"Other businesses like Community First Mortgage, Thunder
Lanes and Justice Clean Care joined in with their contributions."
Hanna said many anonymous donors simply put money in the bank
account.
Then there were individuals who helped like Henry Wong, who drove
a truck to Cashiers and brought ,1500 pounds of water down the
mountains. Russ Bower, Jackson County veterans service officer,
brought the water from Cherokee.
Jim Hunter of Western Carolina Properties provided storage space
for the cases of water.
Randy Cabe, Randy Bryson and Mickey Bumgarner came just at the
right time to unload more than 100 cases of water off a truck
and into the Cullowhee Post Office.
Cullowhee Postmaster Ron Story single-handedly labeled and reloaded
the 100 cases onto carts.
Hanna said Jaimez called her at 2 a.m. one morning to say the
water had arrived.
"He was so excited and just couldn't wait to open that first
bottle," said Hanna. "Johnny said to thank everyone
who participated in the project and to let everyone know how much
the soldiers appreciate their efforts."
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