MCB Camp Pendleton

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Sailors throw lifeline to the hungry and homeless;

9 Jun 2005 | Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Redding Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- OCEANSIDE - For nearly 80 sailors like Petty Officer 2nd Class Tamara L. Maynard, feeding the homeless May 18 wasn't just about helping the down and out - it was about building stronger ties with communities surrounding Camp Pendleton.

"We all decided to get out here and volunteer and do something good for the community," said Maynard, a corpsman with Company A, 1st Medical Battalion.

Moreover, collectively helping the community helps the units involved, she said.

"This shows good unit cohesion - that we all can get together and have fun while doing something good," she said.

The sailors, from 1st Dental Battalion and 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group, arrived at New Song Community Church early in the morning, eager to help out the nonprofit Brother Benno Foundation. Brother Benno's helps the homeless and the working poor by offering free meals and other charity.

"The working poor are people who have jobs but aren't making enough money to buy food," explained Virginia Sylwestrzak, the purchasing agent for Brother Benno's. The organization provides breakfast and sack lunches Mondays through Saturdays. It also distributes free clothes.

Units from Camp Pendleton have helped the foundation for the past seven years, Sylwestrzak said.

She marveled at how tirelessly the troops packaged an endless supply of food.

"Just watching them is making me tired," she said.

At the end of the day, she estimated the sailors had loaded close to 1,000 boxes with approximately 25 pounds of food each.

Navy Lt. Celerina L. Cornett, commander for Company A, 1st Medical Bn., said community support for deployed troops inspired the unit's volunteerism.

"The unit just got back from Iraq, and we appreciated everything the civilians did for us while the unit was gone," she said. "This is our opportunity to give back to the community in Oceanside."

The project wasn't mandatory - yet every member of her company took part, she said.

Cornett also shared her personal inspiration.

"When I was making a box, I was thinking of that little girl or that little boy who are going to open that box ... and get those cookies inside," she said.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas P DeWitt, a corpsman with 1st Med. Bn.'s Preventive Medicine Unit, said he takes pride not only in responding to a crisis in Iraq - but the "crisis of homelessness" locally.

"It's always a crisis when you have homeless people in your community," DeWitt said. "As the Navy - and as individuals - we're putting our best foot forward to help everyone out."

Navy Lt. Paul Kim, the chaplain for 1st Medical Bn. and 1st Dental Bn., said compassion is plentiful within the units he shepherds.

"We all have a desire to help and give," he said.

Sailors throw lifeline to the hungry and homeless;

9 Jun 2005 | Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Redding Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- OCEANSIDE - For nearly 80 sailors like Petty Officer 2nd Class Tamara L. Maynard, feeding the homeless May 18 wasn't just about helping the down and out - it was about building stronger ties with communities surrounding Camp Pendleton.

"We all decided to get out here and volunteer and do something good for the community," said Maynard, a corpsman with Company A, 1st Medical Battalion.

Moreover, collectively helping the community helps the units involved, she said.

"This shows good unit cohesion - that we all can get together and have fun while doing something good," she said.

The sailors, from 1st Dental Battalion and 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group, arrived at New Song Community Church early in the morning, eager to help out the nonprofit Brother Benno Foundation. Brother Benno's helps the homeless and the working poor by offering free meals and other charity.

"The working poor are people who have jobs but aren't making enough money to buy food," explained Virginia Sylwestrzak, the purchasing agent for Brother Benno's. The organization provides breakfast and sack lunches Mondays through Saturdays. It also distributes free clothes.

Units from Camp Pendleton have helped the foundation for the past seven years, Sylwestrzak said.

She marveled at how tirelessly the troops packaged an endless supply of food.

"Just watching them is making me tired," she said.

At the end of the day, she estimated the sailors had loaded close to 1,000 boxes with approximately 25 pounds of food each.

Navy Lt. Celerina L. Cornett, commander for Company A, 1st Medical Bn., said community support for deployed troops inspired the unit's volunteerism.

"The unit just got back from Iraq, and we appreciated everything the civilians did for us while the unit was gone," she said. "This is our opportunity to give back to the community in Oceanside."

The project wasn't mandatory - yet every member of her company took part, she said.

Cornett also shared her personal inspiration.

"When I was making a box, I was thinking of that little girl or that little boy who are going to open that box ... and get those cookies inside," she said.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas P DeWitt, a corpsman with 1st Med. Bn.'s Preventive Medicine Unit, said he takes pride not only in responding to a crisis in Iraq - but the "crisis of homelessness" locally.

"It's always a crisis when you have homeless people in your community," DeWitt said. "As the Navy - and as individuals - we're putting our best foot forward to help everyone out."

Navy Lt. Paul Kim, the chaplain for 1st Medical Bn. and 1st Dental Bn., said compassion is plentiful within the units he shepherds.

"We all have a desire to help and give," he said.