by Lisa Adams
Daily Lobo
Matt Gerety has high expectations for the compassion and charity of people on campus.
Gerety, general military course adviser, is the organizer for Operation Iraqi Children, a semester-long drive for school supplies for Iraqi children.
"We definitely expect to get a lot of support from the faculty and students," he said.
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UNM's Air Force ROTC created the project to gather as many elementary school kits as they can for children in Iraq.
Gerety said collecting supplies is important because it helps children who have no other way to get them.
"Most of the families cannot buy the supplies themselves," he said.
The most needed supplies are notebooks, paper, pencils and backpacks, among other things.
"Basically whatever is on your kid's school supply list, they need, too," said Jennifer Stone, a spokeswoman at the UNM Air Force ROTC.
She said supplies are desperately needed.
"We want to help all the children of Iraq that can't even afford money for food," she said. "So (buying) school supplies must be very difficult."
Student Emily Sokolski was surprised to hear about the pledge drive.
"I think it's a really positive project," she said. "There should be more of an initiative to get the word out and have people participate."
The drive started Monday and continues until April 28.
The Air Force ROTC is asking faculty, staff and students at UNM to donate as many supplies as possible.
The ROTC cadets were able to collect 20 kits a year ago for a similar drive.
Gerety said the ROTC hopes to donate at least 40 kits with the help of UNM.
Student J.C. Lovelace said he supported the school supply drive.
"It's a good idea to give them supplies because we blew up their schools," he said.
Supplies can be dropped off at the ROTC office on the corner of Yale Boulevard and Las Lomas Road until April 28.
For a full list of the supplies needed, go to www.operationiraqi children.org.
