Small gifts, big impact
Soldier visits St. Bede,
thanks students

By Lou Baldwin
Special to The CS&T

HOLLAND — First Lieutenant James Devlin, 2nd Platoon, Charlie Troop, 82nd Airborne Division, received a hero’s welcome at St. Bede the Venerable School, Holland, on June 10.

But Lt. Devlin, home on leave after an extended tour in Afghanistan, wasn’t there to be praised but to praise. His visit was to say thank you to the children of St. Bede’s for the gift packages and greeting cards they sent earlier this year to all the members of the 30-man reconnaissance patrol he leads.

“We were deployed for 10-and-a-half months,” Lt. Devlin said of his unit, which is normally based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “They sent four big boxes filled with shoe boxes that had chips, candy, cards and other things.

“I know it seems something small but it was small in a big way. Some of my men didn’t get much mail and this was important to them.”

Morale is important, especially in a unit such as Devlin’s, which was based in an area that had only rudimentary living conditions. The unit was under attack almost daily, and often on patrol and in harm’s way. And yes, there were fatalities, which is always a hard reality.

The project to send packages to members of Devlin’s unit was the brainchild of St. Bede teacher Marie Hart. A veteran of 23 years at the school, she thought it would be a good confirmation class project for her sixth-grade students. In the end, not only did the 59 boys and girls in the two sixth grades participate, it turned into a Catholic Schools Week project for the entire school.

Hart knows the Devlin family well. They are parishioners, and while James Devlin hadn’t attended the school, he’d played ball with the CYO. He went into the military after ROTC and graduation from Widener University. She approached his mother, Alice Devlin, who loved the idea.

“We thought we would pick somebody who was definitely an American hero. Jim was over in Afghanistan fighting for our freedom,” Hart said. “The sixth grade took the lead, but it involved the whole school, and we sent maybe 50 boxes, enough for Jim’s unit and some extras.”

Jack Linder, now going into seventh grade, explained: “Every grade gave certain items and everyone made a card. Each soldier got multiple gifts.”

He personally made his card on his home computer and brought in gum, chewy candy and other nonperishable items that were assigned to his grade.

In the aftermath of the project, Lt. Devlin’s visit was a bonus.

“It was exciting to meet a soldier who was out there and could tell us what it is like,” Linder said. “It feels good to help people in the military. If we don’t help them, they may not survive.”

As part of his visit, Lt. Devlin presented school officials and students with a unit flag, gratefully signed by every man in his platoon, which will be proudly flown or displayed by St. Bede School.

“Lt. Devlin was very appreciative of what was done,” said Msgr. John C. Marine, pastor of St. Bede. “He pointed out there was a time when they were not receiving any mail and when the packages arrived (the soldiers) were touched and grateful.”

The project, Msgr. Marine said, was “the Good News in action. It not only showed the importance of giving, it showed the importance of gratitude.”

Lou Baldwin is a member of St. Leo Parish and a freelance writer