La Plata resident Zeke Peterson has 4,000 cans of Silly String in his mother?s house, but it?s not for a party.
The 14-year-old starting collecting cans to send to troops in Iraq after reading a story about Marcelle Shriver who made headlines when she started collecting the party favor for her son, an U.S. Army soldier in Iraq. The troops use the colored “string” ? canned lightweight plastic ? to detect tripwires for bombs. The string is so light that it can show soldiers where wires are without detonating the bomb.
Zeke took numerous side jobs ? raking leaves and mowing lawns ? in order to buy cans of Silly String, which retail from $1 to $3.79. He put up fliers and asked for donations from local businesses.
Then Maryland Independent, his hometown newspaper, reported on the effort. The Associated Press picked up the story and more donations started pouring in, some as far away as the West Coast. “[A woman] sent him a check for $650 from Washington state.” Zeke?s mother Lisa said.
“I didn?t know that the story had gone all the way around the country,” Zeke said. “I was surprised that people would spend that much money.”
Zeke?s 17-year-old sister Megan even got in on the effort, sending out e-mails to help spread the word about her brother?s quest. “I wanted to do my part and help by trying to gain more exposure for him throughout the country,” she wrote.
“My dad was a Marine; he really inspired me to do it,” Zeke said of his active involvement in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. He plans to join the military.
“It?s unusual to hear from a teen how much they love and want to serve their country,” Lisa Peterson said. “[Zeke?s] counting down the days until he can.”
KIDdesigns Inc., a toy manufacturer in New Jersey, was also inspired by Shriver?s story. The company donated 33,000 cans in January to send to the troops. “We believe that if one life is saved, then the donation was well worth it,” said Evan Stein, vice president of marketing at KIDdesigns Inc. “We greatly appreciate, admire and respect each and every one who is bravely serving our country and we pray for their safe return home.”
And Zeke agrees. “The troops are out risking their lives for us so we can be home safe,” he said. “We should be helping to give back.”
How to help
Donations of money or products can be sent to: Marcelle Shriver c/o St. Luke?s Church, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford, N.J. 08084.
