Nice to finally meet you

Date: 11/24/2008

By Natasha Clark

Assistant Managing Editor



Last year kindergarteners at Meadow Brook School shipped five large boxes of goods to troops and injured children in a hospital in Iraq in care of local veteran Capt. Joseph A. Pagnoni. He worked in an Air Force hospital in Iraq where he cared for wounded soldiers, civilians and children. Last week, students met Pagnoni for the first time. He told students that children in the hospital said they liked the books they sent and the packages were "so appreciated by soldiers over there, because we don't have stores." Pagnoni, who graduated from Meadow Brook in 1976, was stationed in Iraq for 15 months. Organizer of the donations, teacher Kristin Rahilly, said having Pagnoni visit "was a nice follow up for last year's students ... It gives our kids a nice connection." Rahilly plans to send more boxes this year with the unit that has replaced Pagnoni's. (above) Pagnoni talked about body armor/Kevlar.

Reminder Publications photos and additional reporting by Courtney Llewellyn