Soldiers of support turn out for event in Connellsville
CONNELLSVILLE – As coalition forces approached Baghdad, soldiers of support stood firm along Route 119 on Saturday in a show of solidarity for the American-led effort. Waving the American flag and those of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, about 50 men, women and children were greeted
with beeping horns and salutations from passersby.
“This is great,” said organizer Robert Ruggieri, as those who gathered braved rain showers and colder temperatures to honor those on the Iraqi battlefield and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
With coffee and hot chocolate provided by McDonald’s and Ruggieri’s good friend Amy Brady, the number of participants varied throughout the day, with some staying for an hour or so and others maintaining their positions through the afternoon.
Dunbar resident Martha Calhoun read about the planned rally and decided to pay tribute to her son, David, who is serving with the 37th Infantry in Kuwait, by standing with Ruggieri and the others.
“I feel good out here,” she said. “It’s been very hard. I haven’t heard from him since the war broke out.”
Terri Molinaro and Bunny Yekel have several family members either in the Persian Gulf region or preparing for mobilization and decided, despite the weather, they would do their part by waving the American flag as cars crossed the Memorial Bridge.
Friends John Arrington, 12, and David Kovach, also 12, of Brownsville carried homemade signs they had brought to honor those in uniform.
“I wanted to show my patriotism and support for our troops,” said Arrington.
The rally began at 9:30 a.m. with the Star Spangled Banner and a moment of silence and then a parade around the city to the war memorial, where those attending held a brief service.
Connellsville resident Mike Weimer, a Vietnam veteran, carried the POW/MIA flag in the parade as a remembrance of those still unaccounted for in Vietnam and the soldiers being held captive in Iraq.
“I remember what it was like for those guys who saw on television the war protests. Maybe the (protesters) were protesting the policies of the administration, but the soldiers thought (the protests) were against them, and I don’t want the troops in Iraq to think that everyone is against them,” Weimer said.
“Once shots are fired it’s time to stand behind the troops and the government. If you want to protest the policies, you can do that later. …You have to let the troops see on their Web sites and in their newspapers that they are missed and we appreciate what they are trying to do over there.”
Weimer commended the young people that stood side by side during the morning hours.
“They believe in what they’re doing here,” he said. “They could be in the malls or talking to their friends on the phone, but instead they are here in support of our troops.”
Margaret Keill clutched a photograph of her grandson Jason Skrobacz as she stood with the other supporters.
She had spoken to him on Friday, but she knew the conversations might be halted soon as his unit with the 101st Airborne is making preparations to leave Germany for Iraq.
“He could go at anytime,” she said.
His mother, Cathy Skrobacz, said rallies such as the one held Saturday are uplifting and give
her strength to face the coming days when her son is on the battlefield.
“Somebody needs to be supporting our boys,” she said.
Ruggieri, meanwhile, said he will organize another rally within the next few weeks for the soldiers and their families.
“They are doing so much for us. This is something we can do for them,” he said.