Brainerd Marine serving in Kuwait

He wrote home about the sandstorms and tents blowing over in the high winds.

Now the Brainerd family of a U.S. Marine is waiting to hear from their son who is stationed somewhere in Kuwait.

Cpl. Robert O'Toole, 21, is stationed with the Lima Company with the U.S. Marines in Kuwait. O'Toole is the son of Marty Bosch of Brainerd. He's a 2001 Brainerd High School graduate.

Bev Oren, Bosch's girlfriend, said she and Bosch have received a few letters recently from O'Toole, but they were written weeks ago.

"He's been pretty upbeat in his letters," she said. "He's had the attitude that they want to get it over with. Get in there and get it over with. I think he's scared in a sense but he doesn't tell us that."

Nisswa Area Women of Today adopting military families

The Nisswa Area Women of Today have started a project called Adopt A Military Family. This is an effort to help area families with loved ones serving in the military.

Area businesses are encouraged to participate through donation of gift certificates or cards for their products or services. Items donated so far by business owners include gift certificates for merchandise and services such as haircuts, products from their business, such as free film and free film processing, or free use of their facilities, such as bowling and use of the water park for children until their military parent returns home.

The Nisswa Area Women of Today has already adopted five families, with a total of nine children and a baby due in May. The group is hoping to be able to adopt more families, depending on how many more donations are received. Chapter members hope to reach out to the selected families each month until the troops come home.

For more information about this program and ways you can help by making a donation, contact project chairperson Janell Madison at 828-8092.

Donations requested for area military personnel

Brainerd area residents who would like to support area military personnel serving in the war on Iraq may make a donation to the VFW Post 1647 in Brainerd. The funds will be used to buy long-distance phone cards for soldiers.

Make checks payable to the VFW Post 1647, 309 Sixth St., Brainerd, MN 56401. Make sure to earmark the check for the phone cards.

Those residents who know of a soldier who would be entitled to a card are asked to write to the Brainerd VFW Post and let it know his or her name and address.

If you'd like to share a hometown note related to the war in Iraq, contact Kathi Nagorski at The Brainerd Dispatch at (218) 855-5859, or by e-mail at kathi.nagorski@brainerddispatch.com.