Project of 12-year-old helps Iraqi school kids
SHALIMAR (AP) -When 12-year-old Allie Maney started Operation Schoolhouse, a project to collect school supplies for Iraqi children, she had no idea how large the response would be.
Since its start in October, Allie’s project has more than doubled her goal of 1,000 pounds of supplies.
“I’m really excited about it. We got 2,200 pounds,” the Shalimar resident said. “It’s just great that we got this much and I loved doing it.”
Ally started the program after hearing stories and seeing photos from her brother, Army 1st Lt. Drew Maney. In one of his weekly conversations with his family, Drew mentioned the Iraqi children he met on his tour with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Within months, donations to the project filled the Maney home and donated space at A Transfer. Operation Schoolhouse collected everything from paper to uniforms. There even were hand-sewn book bags filled with supplies.
“In light of economic hard times, people still were so extremely generous with their time and money and they just went out of their way to give and we really we’re appreciative,” said Allie’s mother, Cindy.
The Maney family fueled the project, helping Allie pick up donations, taking her to speaking engagements and storing the school supplies. They say individual school donations no longer will be collected.
“It has been a real logistic burden for us,” said Allie’s father, Ed. “It’s just sapped our strength.”
Logistics really became an issue in December, when the Maneys first tried to ship the donations. They were told they would need a letter from Iraqi customs saying there would be no duties on the shipment. That letter then would have to be translated into English.