THERE REALLY IS LOVE IN LOVELAND

 

Most 10 year olds don’t really know a lot about what is going on in the world let alone try to make things better for others.  But then, 10 year old Alexis Wiles of Loveland is not the ordinary 10 year old.  She wanted to do something to show the troops that people back home do care.  She and her grandmother, Linda Pennington, a Loveland school board member were talking about the war when together they came up with the idea of sending a bag of jelly beans, with a note of appreciation attached, to the troops for Easter.  Her stepfather, a Marine during Desert Storm told her how soldiers really like getting notes from people back home.  Hence the Jelly Bean Project was started.

 

Alexis is a student at Loveland Elementary.  She talked with the principal and solicited the school’s involvement.  The principal made daily announcements asking the kids to donate a bag of jelly beans and write a note to a soldier.  Grandmother Linda started telling everyone about this idea.   Alexis’ mom, Gina Ogdon, is a teacher in Goshen Township.  She was bring in donations from her school as well.  Drop off locations were set up at Loveland Elementary School and at the New Hope Baptist Church.  The Cincinnati Enquirer heard about Alexis’ jelly bean idea and ran a story about what she was doing.  This got many 
                                                   more people donating jelly beans.  Several companies donated a case or

                                                   two at a time.  Jelly beans were filling up their home.  It was at this

                                                   point Operation: Thank You learned of the project and inquired if there

                                                   was something they could do to help.  The OTY staff donated jelly beans,

                                                   some coming from as far away as the Youngstown area.  OTY was also

                                                   able to supply some names of soldiers to receive the jelly beans.  Also,

                                                   OTY donated some help with the cost of shipping.

 
                                                   A total of 723 pound of jelly beans, 810 bags each with a note, were sent
                                                   to 27 locations mostly to soldiers with local Cincinnati ties.

 

                                                   Alexis says she enjoyed doing the Project so much she is already planning
                                                   on making this a annual event.  Operation: Thank You is proud to be
                                                   associated with a lovely, thoughtful young lady like Alexis and will be
                                                   there with her next year.  She is also planning to get involved during the Christmas card for the Troops project in the fall.  Alexis and her family are a welcome addition to the OTY staff.