Political Quotes

“I am honored to share a Vermont community's tribute to the stout hearts and brave souls of the service men and women serving overseas. This year, in recognition of Vermont's largest military deployment since World War II, the townspeople of Clarendon, VT, sought a way to show their support for Americans stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the town's elementary school, 39 children of the ages of 7 to 10 recorded a song called ``Box of Kisses'' for our troops in the National Guard. With the help of two local musicians, James Mee and Michael Mugrage, the students of Clarendon Elementary School devoted their lunch and recess time to this project. Students also spent their free time handcrafting more than 500 paper boxes filled with brief personal messages and pieces of candy as tokens of their thanks for the sacrifices being made by these Vermonters serving abroad. Although Box of Kisses is being sent to hundreds of soldiers, this community's project is a highly personal act for many families in Clarendon. Within this school community of only 198 students, 12 people have family members serving in Afghanistan. Marcelle and I are so proud of and grateful for our Nation's servicemembers and their families. So are Vermonters in every community throughout our State, who are showing support for our soldiers' families in ways small and large every day-- by mowing lawns, babysitting, shoveling sidewalks, and through many other small kindnesses.”