TOYS FOR KIDS: A soldier serving in Iraq is hoping to provide
toys for the children in Ar Ramadi, and thought maybe you could
help.[neWLine]

Pfc. Samantha Hackett is putting together the project with the
help of her mother and aunt in Bradford.[neWLine]

“”My mom and aunt are collecting shoeboxes filled with small
toys, coloring books, etc., and then sending them to me in Ar
Ramadi, Iraq. I then will go through public affairs here and pass
them out to the children in the city.””[neWLine]

Her mother is Bonnie Abrams who can be reached after 5 p.m. at
363-9468; and aunt, Connie Blauser, who can be contacted after 4:30
p.m. at 363-9157.[neWLine]

We received Samantha’s request by e-mail, and noticed her web
address contained the words, “”ballerina,”” and
“”soldier.””[neWLine]

She wrote, “”Yes, I danced ballet and now I’m a soldier. I
graduated Bradford High School in June 2004. A few weeks later I
started basic training in South Carolina, and finished my training
in October 2004. Three weeks later I received a telephone call from
my company telling me I was going to be deployed Jan. 6,
2005.””[neWLine]

She adds, “”Jan. 6, I went to train for Iraq at Camp Shelby,
Miss. We had five months of training there and a month of desert
training at Fort Irwin, Calif. I’m now serving in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
I’m a truckdriver and I run convoys to different military bases
throughout Iraq.””[neWLine]

At the time she wrote, she and her comrades were helping get the
country ready for the elections.[neWLine][neWLine]

SMALL WORLD: A note today from Jay Paul Kahle about our item on
Glendorn’s presence in the current Orvis catalog:[neWLine]

“”Recently while visiting the Orvis store in Manchester, Vt., we
did a tour of the Orvis factory where all the rods are built. Jacki
and I were the only two on the tour, and our guide, Doug, spent two
and a half hours conducting us through every operation in the
making of the Orvis fly rod.[neWLine]

“”It was fascinating, especially seeing the newest product (not
yet released), the ‘Zero Gravity’ rod which, incidentally, retails
for about $675.[neWLine]

“”Told Doug that we were from Bradford, Pa., and he asked if we
knew Bob Habgood who used to purchase Orvis rods from him. Also he
knew Dr. George Still who was an avid fan of fly fishing and Orvis
products.””