Soldiers distribute new school supplies to Sadr City children

By 1st Lt. Devin Winkelstein, 1st Bn., 6th Inf. Regt., 1st Armored Div.February 19, 2009

SADR CITY, Iraq - An Iraqi girl smiles after receiving a new notebook from Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, during a school supply distribution mission at the Al Aqbas Elementary school Feb. 9 in the Sadr City...
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – SADR CITY, Iraq - An Iraqi girl smiles after receiving a new notebook from Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, during a school supply distribution mission at the Al Aqbas Elementary school Feb. 9 in the Sadr City district o... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
SADR CITY, Iraq - Students of the Al Aqbas Elementary School smile and wave during a group picture at the school's courtyard Feb. 9 in the Sadr City district of eastern Baghdad. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment,...
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – SADR CITY, Iraq - Students of the Al Aqbas Elementary School smile and wave during a group picture at the school's courtyard Feb. 9 in the Sadr City district of eastern Baghdad. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, distribut... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

SADR CITY, Iraq - Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers distributed a variety of new school supplies to students and faculty at the Al Aqbas Elementary School in the Sadr City district of eastern Baghdad, Feb. 9.

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, handed out notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, paper and other supplies to the more than 200 students.

The Soldiers collected the school supplies with support from Girl Scout Troops 2522 and 2621 of Larchmont N.Y. that held a bake sale to raise money in order to buy the supplies and send them to Iraq.

Girl Scout Anna Brause wrote in a letter to the Soldiers of 1st Bn., 6th Inf. Regt., describing how she and her friends had heard about how the Soldiers were helping the children of Iraq and they wanted to pitch in.

So far, Soldiers have collected more than 20 boxes of donations since November 2008.

"The donation of school supplies will improve the relations between Sadr City residents and Coalition Forces," said Capt. Nicholas Cantrell, a native of Topeka, Kan, a fire support officer with the regiment. "Events like this increase the goodwill of the population toward us."

"It was nice to see every child excited," added 1st Lt. Bradford Dooley, a native of Frankfort, Ky. "You could really tell these supplies made a difference in their daily lives."