SCHWEINFURT, Germany - The U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt youth sports program received a surprise boost Aug. 28 from the people of Weston, Conn.: 23 boxes of donated baseball supplies.
Jane Young-Anglim, who sent the supplies, is "an ardent supporter of the military and a member of the Weston Supports group," said Lt. Col. Eric Stetson, rear detachment commander for the Blackhawk Brigade. Stetson received the boxes and ensured their delivery to Daniel Jones, youth sports director for the garrison.
Weston Supports is a private organization which adopted the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division during their deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom. When the brigade activated as the 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate) in March, it lost no support from Weston, whose support extends beyond the brigade to the whole community of Schweinfurt with this equipment donation.
"(We) determined that the youth on base could put (the supplies) to good use," wrote Young-Anglim in an e-mail. The donation began with used equipment from a neighboring town's little league and snowballed into a shipment which included new and used bats, gloves, helmets, and balls.
"After getting through it all, I realized much was missing, so I went out and bought gloves and balls ... I put out another favor request to friends here in Weston ... and that resulted in a big donation, also," Young-Anglim explained.
Also tucked in among the catcher's mitts and batting helmets were a stash of more than 100 Beanie Babies, which Stetson says will be sent downrange with the Blackhawks to be distributed to children in the brigade's area of operations.
The USAG Schweinfurt youth sports program will put the equipment to good use once the baseball season begins again, Jones said, but community members interested in helping need not spend money on equipment. They can instead donate their time.
"We always need volunteers to help out and community youth to participate in our programs. If someone wants to help, they can stop by my office, and I'll get them a volunteer packet," Jones said.
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