Local drive will aid Iraqi children

Patrick Fisher, Staff Writer

A New Prague couple is hoping people in the area will help in aiding children that are half a world away.

Sherry Valley and her husband, First Sergeant John Valley, are asking that people provide basic school and medical supplies to children in Iraq.

John, with the 454th Transportation Company in northern Iraq, notified her by email of the 71st Combat Support Battalion’s (CSB) humanitarian assistance program of Helping Build the Future for Iraq’s Children.

John’s company is part of the battalion, which is serving the area of Iraq near the Turkish border. They assessed the needs of children in that part of the country and found that children need school supplies such as pens, pencils, markers, crayons, construction paper, art supplies and other items. There are also medical supplies needed including aspirin, band-aids, gauze, Q-tips, cotton balls, vitamins and ace bandages.

He said they have very poor living conditions there