These men took 1 hour shifts, including reservists, active duty, and retired Marines like FREEPER FLightline.
Hyannis event honors U.S. troops By ERIC GERSHON STAFF WRITER
HYANNIS - What goes around, comes around - that's why 13-year-old Dylan DeSilva has a scrapbook full of thank-you notes from war zones.
If you go
When: Through noon today (Monday, May 29, 2006)
Where: Capetown Plaza, near Kmart, Route 132, Hyannis
Why: To honor the troops and raise money for care packages
Since 2004, when Dylan's Brewster Boy Scout troop mailed a care package to an alumnus-turned-Marine serving in Iraq, Dylan has sent more than 700 similar packages overseas, mainly to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
''Dylan didn't want to stop,'' said his mother, Michelle.
In the coming year, he plans to send another 700 packages of toothpaste and tube socks, candy and DVDs.
Yesterday, he began rounding up the donations to do it.
He had help from friends like Lt. Col. Cyril Rourke of the Air Force Reserve.
At noon, Rourke, 56, who last year served six months in the Middle East, stationed himself upright on a flatbed trailer parked at Capetown Plaza, near Kmart, facing Route 132.
Four other men followed close behind, each in the uniform of his rank and service. They stood at attention for an hour, five abreast, facing the sun, unflinching, it seemed, as passing cars beeped in support.
More than 30 servicemen and women were scheduled to relieve them hourly through the night in a tribute and fundraiser billed as ''The 2nd Annual Troops in the Spotlight.''
Come dusk, organizers planned to illuminate the sentries from below.
A smaller-scale version of the event raised $6,000 last year.
Dylan, a Tenderfoot with Boy Scout Troop 73 of Brewster, is scheduled to stand watch for the final hour, from 11 to noon today, ''just to honor our troops, past and present,'' he said.
The group that formed around Dylan to serve his cause, Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops, hopes to raise $10,000 from visitors to put toward the next round of care packages. Among yesterday's donors were schoolchildren from Hyannis East Elementary School, who presented the group with $675 converted from penny contributions and about $800 overall.
Schooled at home by his mother, who said Dylan's grandfathers served in the military but neither parent and none of his three siblings did, Dylan hopes to attend a technical high school, then join the Marines.
Michelle DeSilva anticipates that day with pride and fear.
''Of course, as a mother - this is my baby - it scares me,'' she said. ''But I admire him. He's always had a goal.''
From the letters in his scrapbook, Dylan might glimpse a bit of what could be in store for him.
Wrote one soldier, ''Being in Iraq is very different from being at home.''
Eric Gershon can be reached at egershon@capecodonline.com.
(Published: May 29, 2006)
These men took 1 hour shifts, including reservists, active duty, and retired Marines like FREEPER FLightline.
Made my old heart glad.
We also had fly-overs from a helicopter unit and a huge transport jet. Got everybody goin' real good!
Folks should also remember that Orca is an outlier - both JFK and Joseph P Jr served with distinction in WW2, Joseph paying the ultimate price.
Kids like Dylan give me hope for our future!
You should get in contact with RaceBannon. The Boy's on the Cape are very active, he can put you and hubby in contact.
