December 28, 2006

Nine-year-old rallies neighbor friends to support troops for the holidays

Over the years, several Pippin Creek Street families (the Fu, Walkley, Bayha-Guzeman, Ergas, Quint, DePalma, Dance, Bayat, Maturi, Slack, Nellore-Dev families) have grown close by celebrating the holidays with a traditional progressive dinner party. But this year, their children came up with a new way to celebrate the holidays: raising money to support U.S. troops in Iraq.

The Pippin Creek Ct. kids who organized the soldiers’ fund-raiser were treated to a dinner out at Almaden’s Elements restaurant by their proud parents. Seated at the table from left to right: Ally Walkley, Kinnera Maturi, Abhi Maturi, Suman Dev, Kyle Ergas, Trevor Ergas, Brendan Ergas, Larry Walkley.

Kyle Ergas, a 9-year-old Williams Elementary School student, came up with the idea after hearing his parents discuss a U.S. Marine mom trying to collect hand warmers and Silly String for the troops.

With the help of his Pippin Creek neighbors (Brendan Ergas, Trevor Ergas, Abhi Maturi, Kinnera Maturi, Joshua Fu, Inak Fu, Larry Walkley, and Ally Walkley) Ergas started a fund-raiser on the street and was able to collect enough money to help 200 soldiers have a warm and safe night as they patrol the streets of Iraq.

“We originally heard of the need for hand warmers and Silly String through a plea by a U.S. Marine mom, Deborah Johns, on KSFO radio,” said Kyle’s mom, Naida Ergas. “She said that her son, William, asked her to send as many hand warmers to Iraq because the nights during his patrol are extremely cold. This winter break, we’ll be using these hand warmers to keep our hands nice and warm as we swoosh through the snow with our snowboards. Meanwhile, our soldiers need them to stay alert and ready to protect us. For just a little over a buck, we are able to keep a solider warm.

“This New Year’s Eve, many will be using Silly Sting as streamers to ring in the New Year in 2007,” said Ergas. “Meanwhile, our marines will use the same Silly String to detect trip-wired traps in Iraq before they enter through the hallways.”

If others would like to contribute to help our soldiers, they can send hand warmers and Silly String to: Deborah Johns 4120 Douglas Blvd #306-442, Granite Bay, Ca. 95746.