North and South Unite to Support Deployed Grosse Pointe Marines

Two Grosse Pointe high school seniors have coordinated a care package drive to support four deployed, or soon to be deployed, Grosse Pointe United States Marines. The girls, Marissa Stinson, who attends Grosse Pointe North, and Christy Tech, who attends Grosse Pointe South, are sisters to the four Marines: LCPL Chad Tech, LCPL Josh Stinson, PFC Jake Stinson and PFC Drew Tech.

The two girls met in the summer of 2012, when Marissa Stinson’s family moved to Grosse Pointe after her father, Colonel Ben Stinson, USMC, was transferred here. The families became fast friends as each watched two of their sons enlist in the United States Marine Corps over the past year and half.

LCPL Chad Tech, a combat engineer, is presently deployed to Afghanistan and LCPL Josh Stinson, a logistician, is preparing for deployment to Afghanistan this spring. PFC Jake Stinson, who is an infantryman, will deploy next year and PFC Drew Tech is currently finishing his military school as a public affairs writer.

Seeking to support their deployed brothers’ units with a care package drive, Marissa and Christy approached Young Americans for Freedom and their National Honor Society Clubs at North and South for volunteers and help packing the boxes.

“We want to let our brothers and the other Marines know that all of us in Grosse Pointe are thinking of them, especially since they won’t be able to come home for the holidays this year,” Marissa Stinson said.

The teens have also partnered with the Grosse Pointe War Memorial through the Soldier’s Support Fund, a program that collects money, personal articles, and greeting cards to send to deployed troops.

“Our committee’s mission is to honor those who died for our country, by serving those who live and serve now,” Ed Lazar, Grosse Pointe War Memorial Veterans Committee Chair said.

The care package drive, “Supporting Our Own,” will kick off on Monday, Nov. 4 and run through Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11. Items can be dropped off at Grosse Pointe North and Grosse Pointe South main offices and at the front desk of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial.

“Cash donations are tax deductible and can be delivered to the War Memorial in care of the Soldier Support Fund. The entire donation will be used for the care packages for our Grosse Pointe service members, “Lazar said.

The items being requested are: hard candy, beef jerky, chewing gum, Sport Drink mixes (powdered), playing cards, lip balm, black cotton athletic socks, deodorant, shaving razors, paperback books, car or motorcycle magazines, ant traps, fly tape, baby wipes, foot powder, video games (Xbox or Wii) and gaming systems, footballs, Frisbees and baseball equipment.

“The Marines wait in long lines to use only a few computers to message their loved ones, so we’re hoping that we can send them some additional laptops so that they will be able to communicate with their families over the holidays and for the rest of their deployment,” Tech said.

“Items will be boxed individually for each Marine in the deployed units and a unit box with video games, sporting equipment and computer laptops will be sent as well,” Stinson added.

The “Supporting Our Own” Drive will culminate on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8:00 a.m. at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial where the teens and their volunteers will gather to box and ship the care packages to Afghanistan.

For more information about the “Supporting Our Own” Drive, please contact Ed Lazar at 313-515-0700 or Toni Stinson at 804-994-4638.