Holiday Giving at UCSD Encompasses Military in Iraq, Local Needy

By Jan Jennings I December 13, 2004

When 'Big Brother' Capt. Bruce Soltire of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton announced to his 'Little Brother' Sam, a Helix High School student and football player, that he was bound for duty in Iraq, Sam and his mother, UCSD Burn Center nurse Leann Cortimiglia, were naturally concerned.

Capt. Bruce Soltire (center) pictured with other members of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton.

“Bruce is such a positive role model for Sam,” says Cortimiglia, a single parent. “Bruce takes Sam running. They do weightlifting. They do guy things. Sam and I wanted to do something special for Bruce.”

Cortimiglia asked the marine captain what they could send him, what would make life a little better “over there.” “He said there are two things he would appreciate: Power bars and a DVD of Sam’s Helix High football games," says Cortimiglia.

When Soltire gets that care package in Iraq at the end of this month, there will be far more to it than that.

UCSD Healthcare and the Nursing Clinical Action Network (NCAN), at the bidding of Cortimiglia, have adopted the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in Iraq and are sending the unit socks, T-shirts, powdered power drink mixes, beef and turkey jerky, toiletries, DVDs and the like – not to mention the power bars and DVDs of Sam’s football games.

Helix High School Student Sam Cortimiglia.

“Bruce doesn’t know we’re doing this,” Cortimiglia says, “so it should be a surprise for him and for all the men in the unit. And it makes us feel happy to be able to do something and to know someone who will appreciate our thoughts.”

The UCSD Healthcare and NCAN giving is just one example of the UCSD community reaching out during the holidays to military personnel in Iraq and at home, as well as to less fortunate families and individuals throughout the San Diego area. Food drives, clothing drives and toy drives abound.

Staff members of the Jacobs School of Engineering have put together a care package for one of their own serving in the military: Thomas Mondares. An academic personnel coordinator for the school, Modares found himself back in uniform seemingly overnight.

Jacobs School dean's office staff members Harriet Kounaves (right) and Lesleigh Helders assemble care package for their colleague Tomas Mondares who is deployed in Kuwait.

The reservist “was called suddenly into active duty on Oct. 4, and after a few weeks of training, was deployed to Kuwait,” says Denine Hagen, the school’s director of communications. A sergeant in the Army, Mondares is assigned to human resources responsibilities, similar to his work for the Jacobs School.

“He has also stepped up to volunteer for several missions,” Hagen says. “Thanksgiving Day he was in Iraq as part of a transport mission delivering soldiers who were being deployed to serve as armed escorts for convoys throughout the region.” Mondares will be in Kuwait throughout the holidays and may remain on active duty for a year or longer. He may be reached at thomas.mondares@us.army.mil.

Staff members of the bioengineering department took on care package responsibilities for the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, based at Camp Pendleton, and now in Iraq, where it took heavy losses in Fallujah. “We wanted to support our troops this holiday season, but we wanted it to be on a more personal level than by just giving money,” says Lore Meanley, assistant to the chair of bioengineering.

Working with a friend, Gunnery Sgt. Angela Willis, Camp Pendleton, Meanley and bioengineering staffers collected socks, foot powder, batteries, slim jims, baby wipes, Q-tips, “and most any junk food a normal 20-year-old would like,” as well as cash for mailing. Within 48 hours, the staff gathered six bags of the requested items, made a poster and signed individual greetings, gathered for a group photo and delivered the items ready to ship.

“Mission accomplished!” says Meanley. “What a great feeling to have the support of everyone and to have been a part of such a meaningful project!”

At Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Jenna Munson, Christine Whitcraft, and Melissa Headly each adopted a soldier in Iraq from “Operation Military Pride” and sent them “all sorts of food/snacks, as well as some toiletry items,” while Scripps overall is taking on “Operation Homefront,” providing nonperishable food to needy military families in San Diego and food and personal hygiene kits for wounded military recuperating at Naval Hospital.

Others at UCSD are working to help those in need outside of the military, with a number of UCSD departments adopting families for the holidays.

The bioengineering group put together a collection for the 3rd assault amphibian battalion out of Camp Pendleton.

“The staff at mechanical and aerospace engineering has been adopting a family at Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last several years,” says Norma Showalter, assistant to the department's chair. The staff delivered about $275 worth of groceries, including a large turkey, ham, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, fruit, canned goods, drinks, nibbles, Thanksgiving napkins and cups, flowers and a disposable camera to an extended family of five adults and eight children in National City.

“I think they had been waiting for us, because all the children were happy to see us, Showalter says. “Even the smaller ones wanted to help carry in the grocery bags. It was definitely a feel-good time!”

For Christmas, the mechanical and aerospace engineering staff will adopt a family through Neighborhood House, again asking for a large family.

Assisting homeless teens and young families is the goal of members of the bioengineering staff, who are gathering food for Take Wing, a transitional living community in San Diego specifically designed to break the cycle of homelessness and create hope and self-sufficiency.

“Take Wing is sponsored by San Diego Youth & Community Services,” says Imani Tyrus, an industrial intern coordinator for bioengineering and food collection coordinator. “Its focus is to teach homeless teens, teenage moms, young families, and those ‘aging out’ of the foster care system to become independent and productive members of society. We have six large bags full of canned food and staples for them.”

A slightly different slant on holiday giving is being addressed, again by members of the Scripps staff. It’s called Dress For Success, and as Jill Hammons,
Scripps' director of special events, explains, it is a drive “whereby we gather professional ‘gently used’ business suits, skirts and pants, handbags, blouses, unopened hosiery, portfolios and briefcases for low income women transitioning into the workplace. Having the proper professional clothing to go on an interview or go to work instills confidence, pride and dignity.”

Dress For Success is a national enterprise, rapidly becoming international, and Scripps staffers are supporting local efforts. Local beneficiaries of the program include a mother of four who is attending two colleges and is now working full time, and a mother of five who went through the St. Vincent de Paul program, became independent, found an apartment, bought a car and is now employed by a nonprofit organization providing outreach to women of color in Southeast San Diego.

“I love the giving part of this season,” says Hammons. “Plus, we ladies are always cleaning out our closets anyway, so ….. why not share? Even men here are bringing their wife’s things in …. It really is a great idea!”

Not content to let giving end with the holidays of 2004, Scripps' Committee for Humanity and Public Service (Chips) will hold its annual food and clothing drive to benefit local shelters in downtown San Diego Jan. 3 through 14.

“We will be collecting donations in boxes across the SIO campus,” says Koty Sharp, a sixth year graduate student in the Scripps Marine Biology Research Division. “We found people actually contribute more directly after the winter holiday. Last year, we collected clothing, apartment furniture, tables, chairs, TVs, canned food and other staples and so much more.”

The drive culminates in a special TGIF event at Surfside on Jan. 14. Chipotle donates burritos and Rock Bottom/Pizza Port donates beer. “The turnout is usually in the hundreds,” says Sharp. “We tell people that for every three items they bring they get a free beer or a burrito – so we really rake in the contributions that last night.”

Sharp says the drive involves a lot of volunteer efforts, keeping an eye on the collection boxes, bringing the goods to a central location, seeking the donated food and drinks, and clean up. “It is truly a 30-person operation and an inspiring story about a lot of people donating a lot of their own personal time and effort.”