Homecoming Sparkles For One Bradenton Native

For 1st Lt. Jennifer Lyons Solomon it's the glitter that sticks with her — literally.

The care packages that arrived in Afghanistan always had a little something extra from school-aged children in Bradenton. She could count on letters and pictures from two boys in particular, but she also loved receiving cards from a class at Sea Breeze Elementary.

Solomon, a transportation officer who recently came back from a tour in Afghanistan, saved all of those cards and letters and she still finds speckles of glitter in all of those things she shipped home.

"It's a nice feeling," she said.

Surrounded by desert sand and far from her own husband and son, it was nice to know that there was a community of people in her hometown who cared, she said.

And even though her home now is in Virginia where she's stationed, coming to visit her parents in Bradenton is a little extra special.

"There are people here who show their appreciation for what we do," Solomon said Wednesday evening while at her parents' Bradenton home. "I know they really care."

While Solomon was in town visiting her parents, several volunteers dropped by with Linda Craig, director of Manasota Operation Troop Support, among them was one family in particular who goes to extra lenghts in preparing care packages with their two sons Cody, 8, and Colton, 4.

Laura Licoski is a MOTS volunteer and spends about $200 a month putting togther extra special care packages for 10 soldiers every month. Licoski wants each of those packages to come with an extra personal touch. Her two sons make sure to help with that. 

The boys draw pictures to inclide with the packages and they pose for pictures of them putting together packages or stacking boxes at MOTS or doing something special for the troops.

The family gets to know the troops through return cards and e-mails and they usually end up forming a bond. Justin Jackson, a local firefighter who was deployed to Afghanistan with the reserves, has had Cody and Colton to the fire station where he works. The two boys got to spend time with Jackson and to see the firestation and sit in one of the engines.

"It is such a thrill to get emails from them in return, and we have had the pleasure of meeting several upon return home," Lickoski said.  "It is funny when they show up to a packing party and recognize Cody and Colton right away, it's like family coming home."

Licoski, who works for bottled water company Water Boy, has gotten the people at work involved in supporting the troops. And her company even prints the labels for water bottles that MOTS sends overseas.

Licoski said it's important to her to support the troops and to make sure that her sons understand the sacrifice they make because she comes from a military family.

"I grew up on base," she said, "my dad was an air traffic controller in the Navy.  I have a sister currently in the Air Force, and my brother-in-law as well."

Even they send items to put in the care packages, she said.

For Solomon, it's great to know that local children are learning about patriotism and sacrifice and freedom.

They are things she has carried with her for most of her life.

In a scrap book Solomon's mother has put together, which includes her daughter's citations and honors, photos and letters, there is a poem Solomon wrote in 1991, when she was in elementary school. It reads:

              "I wish there wasn't a man on the desert sand
               I wish there wasn't a frightening person on the desert lane
              I wish there wasn't a bomb on teh great ship's pond
              I wish Sadaam Hussein wasn't insane."

While she was aware of what was going on in Iraq and with the Gulf War, she said there weren't the opportunities then to show support for the troops. She appreciates Manatee children have embraced the opportunity.

When she met Cody and Colton on Wednesday, Solomon brought them each a flag that was flown over Afghanistan on January 1 to honor the time they spend drawing pictures, writing notes and helping to put together those packages that mean so much to the men and women who have to be far away from their families.