Several members of Charlie Company are shown with their children during a presentation honoring the soldiers on Friday

By Amy Cherry
Daily Press Staff

South St. Marys Street Elementary students and faculty welcomed 14 members of the Company C 1/112th INF SBCT (Infantry, Stryker Brigade Combat Team) during a visit to the school Friday morning.

Members of the Ridgway-based unit, who are soon to be deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, were introduced by SSMSE Principal Bob Grumley as part of a school-wide presentation held in the gymnasium.

The event was planned by Jen Copella and Crystal Garthwaite, both of whom are SSMSE parents and wives of Charlie Company soldiers.

Each grade level performed a song for the soldiers including “Thankful for the USA” and Lee Greenwood's “God Bless the USA”. The event began with students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the National Anthem.

A former SSMSE student, Spec. Gerald Copella, spoke briefly at the event. Sgt. Bill Sadosky, stationed at the Ridgway Armory, explained the duties of the company during their deployment to Iraq.

Grumley presented each soldier with a luggage tag personalized with “South St. Marys Street Elementary in St. Marys, PA supports CCO 1/112 SBCT”. Copella and Garthwaite were assisted in designing the tags by Secco Designs, who donated 210 of them.

Students who have parents serving in the military were recognized, as Charlie Company students joined their fathers in front of the assembly.

Each classroom is adopting a Charlie Company soldier as pen pals throughout their deployment.

Following the assembly soldiers visited classrooms and ate lunch with students answering questions and describing life in the military.

As part of Charlie Company’s deployment soldiers will depart on Sept. 24 from the Ridgway Armory as they embark on a training mission to Mississippi’s Camp Shelby for Joint-Readiness Training Center,

Following their training mission, Charlie Company will return to Elk County on Dec. 22 for a 10-day holiday leave. They will re-deploy on Jan. 2 as they head to Ft. Dix, NJ, then onto Kuwait before going to Iraq.