Harrison City church offers comfort to troops
Because daylight temperatures regularly top 100 degrees at Camp Leatherneck/Bastion Airfield in southern Afghanistan, the roughly 600 Marines and sailors serving there often begin their work at dusk.
A local church is trying to ensure they each have something refreshing to read during their breaks.
Members of St. Barbara Roman Catholic Church in Harrison City started a campaign to write letters of support to the men and women in Marine Wing Support Squadron 274, which provides aircraft refueling, firefighting, weather forecasting and electrical power and communications needed for base operations. Marine Lt. Col. Anthony Ference, a Trafford native and a 1985 Penn-Trafford High School graduate, is the squadron's commanding officer.
"We're connected to the troops by our heart and by our country," said the church's pastor, the Very Rev. Ken Zaccagnini. "With this campaign, we're hoping that the more people know about it, the more letters we'll get."
Rheba Salac, the church's communications liaison, conceived the letter-writing idea after receiving an e-mail from Judy Ference over Memorial Day weekend thanking the parish for their prayers for her son and others serving overseas.
"We've collected about 50 letters so far, and that's just by word of mouth," Salac said. "Our goal is 600."
Anthony Ference, 42, said the blazing sun and blinding dust storms keep many of his troops working from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.
"Weather is harsh and unpredictable and can have detrimental effects on dispatching aircraft missions," Ference said, adding that the 274th recently completed runway repairs at two major Marine airfields. "Those Marines and sailors synchronize their efforts with the environmental conditions, and it's cooler and calmer at night."
Parishioner Jim Blawas, 41, of Harrison City said he plans to write letters with his wife, Carrie, and their daughters, Kate, 8, and Hannah, 7.
"It seems like we've kind of forgotten about our military overseas. So this is important," Blawas said.
The campaign is open to adults and children throughout the area. Checks for $10 are being accepted to send kits containing skin-care products to help protect the troops against the harsh weather conditions.
"I don't know that we'll get 600 checks, but maybe a business would choose to donate a larger amount," Salac said.
Ference already has written a letter of appreciation to the church for starting the campaign.
"I am very appreciative that St. Barbara's parishioners would take the time to send a note of encouragement to our young service members serving in harm's way," he said.
St. Barbara parishioners can write letters at the social hall after each Mass during the Forth of July weekend.
Letters and donations for a skin-care kit can be dropped in the collection basket at Mass or a letter box in the church office, or mailed to the church at 111 Raymaley Road, Harrison City, PA 15636.
