Operation Kids has a new helper in Iraq - Press-Telegram

It's not easy to write when your fingers are crossed.

But that is the case today. We hear our son, John, will leave Iraqin four weeks after more than a year there.

I note this because it will mean a change in Operation Kids, mywife Debbie's program to send toys and school supplies to soldiersfor redistribution to Iraqi kids.

All Operation Kids supplies will now go to Dave Kean, a Long Beachbattalion fire chief and Army reservist helicopter pilot serving inMosul. You can mail goodies to him at: CWO3 Dave Kean, D Co. 3/58thAVN, LSA Diamondback, APO, AE 09334.

You can also send packages via Chuck and Temple Roath at PostalAnnex, 6444 Spring St. They keep Dave's address on file. They alsohave a postage fund (while it lasts) for those who cannot afford thepricey cost of mailing to Iraq.

Update on Operation Kids

More than 250 boxes have been mailed through Operation Kids. Theyeven include donations from kindergarten students in Mamoroneck, N.Y.Instead of a holiday gift for their teacher, a relative named ConnieLevin, the kids chose to help their Iraqi counterparts.

In New York City, where the family of Dave Barbour selects acharity for an annual Christmas gift, this year's choice wasOperation Kids.

Closer to home, we received significant donations recently fromthe Hudson family in Bellflower and Seas the Moment in Seal Beach.Ditto for Long Beach's Kettering Elementary, whose student councilmembers Katie Vestre, Shelby Ishimine and Anna Napolillo helped loadour car with gifts for Iraq.

The greatest Lemon

I raised the following item once before. As usual, no one paid anyattention.

Al Larsen, an alumnus of the P-T sports department, would like tosee Park Avenue, between Seventh and 10th Streets, renamed 'Bob LemonLane' in honor of Long Beach's Hall of Fame pitcher and manager. Thisis the stretch of Park that roughly parallels Blair Field.

Meanwhile, the legendary baseball scout Harry Minor suggests thatthe ball park itself be renamed 'Bob Lemon Stadium at Blair Field.'Anyone listening?

Stoves for Darfur

Some of you have inquired about contributing solar cooking stovesto victims of the terror in Darfur. Tuesday's column noted thatstoves are saving people from rape and murder because they no longerhave to wander over the desert looking for sticks for fuel.

The Internet lists several organizations which sell and ship thestoves. Although the column noted that the stoves sell for about $8,Internet prices run between $12 and $15.

Dogs and rhymes

Poetry Week 2007 will run from April 10 through 14, but JustinRudd is already preparing for his part of the event: the annual HauteDog Poetry Contest.

Now in its fourth year, the contest starts at 2 p.m. on the 14that the off-leash Dog Zone on the sand between Roycroft and Argonneavenues, Belmont Shore.

Dogs are welcome - actually encouraged - to attend, while theirhuman partners read their favorite dog-themed poems. Prize for thebest reading is $250, with $150 and $100 given for second and thirdplace.

You can register now at JustinRudd@aol.com. Or, as Rudd says,'Just show up.'

Tom Hennessy's viewpoint appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He can be reached at (562) 499-1270 or by e-mail atScribe17@mac.com.