Monday, August 28, 2006

Camp Lemonier group helps ready school building for students

Story by U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert Palomares

CJTF-HOA Strategic Communications

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- U.S. Army Sgt. Rebecca Queen of the Combined Joint Task Force -- Horn of Africa Post Office, helps paint a school in downtown Djibouti as part of a community relations project by U.S. Marine Corps 4th Provisional Security Company. (U.S. Navy photo by MCC(DV) Robert Palomares) (Large Image.   Hi-Res Image.)

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- More than 90 military personnel from Camp Lemonier volunteered their time recently to paint several classrooms at a K-8th grade school in downtown Djibouti in preparation for the upcoming school year.

Marine Corps Capt. Garth Massey gathered his group, made up of Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen, early in the mornings and led them in accomplishing the project. The group concluded the project over four days of work, Massey said.

“I’m glad to see so many people show up to do this work,” Massey said. “I’m grateful, and the students will be as well.” Classes are scheduled to begin in September.

The crumbling, peeling walls were in distressing shape before the volunteers marched into the school brandishing scrapers, masking tape, paint brushes and rollers. The Marine Corps volunteers from Camp Lemonier’s 4th Provisional Security Company purchased the paint the equipment for the job. Through private donations, the school also received more than 30 boxes of needed school supplies.

Navy Senior Chief Kenneth Elliott said he was glad to help. “If you look at these classrooms and compare them with the classrooms our kids have, you know how lucky we are,” he said.

Army Sgt. Rebecca Queen, of Parkersburg, W.V., who works in the Camp Lemonier Post Office, volunteered for the project. “I thought it would be fun and something out of the ordinary,” she said. “I found it interesting and want to do more projects like this one.”

This is one of several community projects personnel from Camp Lemonier have undertaken.