Christmas Wishes Sent to Soldiers

By Marie Elena Giossi

NYPD Detective Michael Cleary of Brooklyn’s 72nd Precinct never served in the armed forces but over the past month he’s recruited hundreds of children, dozens of adults and a Coast Guard reservist in Windsor Terrace to carry out a special mission: sharing a little bit of home with American soldiers serving overseas during the holidays.

As a result, Det. Cleary collected over 900 handwritten cards and letters and 11 homemade banners from four schools on his beat in Windsor Terrace – Immaculate Heart of Mary, Holy Name, P.S. 130 and P.S. 154.

Marie Elena Giossi Photos 

Children from four Windsor Terrace schools crafted Chirstmas cards for American soldiers serving overseas. NYPD Det. Michael Cleary, far right, collected over 225 cards from Holy Name schoolchildren, including, from left, fifth-grader George Bermudez, third-grader John Berry, eighth-grader Anthony Padgett, sixth-grader Steffani Bjorklund, second-grader John Luke Giannelli, and first-grader Briann Abruzzese.

These items are currently en route to Iraq via USPS priority mail, courtesy of local Councilman Bill de Blasio and the efforts of his district director, Thomas Gray.

While the packages won’t get to soldiers for a few weeks, the children’s hopeful messages and colorful drawings will convey the season’s joy and warmth well into the new year.

“You hear about these guys and girls fighting overseas. I figured this is the least I can do for them here in my community,” said Det. Cleary, 22-year NYPD veteran.

Raised in IHM, he attended the parish school after completing kindergarten at P.S. 130, and then went onto Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope, where he’s now a guest lecturer in the Street Law class for seniors. He’s been assigned to Windsor Terrace since 1991.

It was just before Thanksgiving when the detective was counting his blessings and thinking about the good times he’d soon enjoy as Christmas approached. As he imagined seeing family and friends, his thoughts turned to people who wouldn’t have that opportunity this year, particularly servicemen and women who’ve sacrificed more than a few holidays with their parents, wives and children for the safety and security of this nation.

He wanted to find a way to make soldiers feel the love and appreciation from people back home. So he called on the principals at four schools on his beat and they agreed to have their students write cards and letters for soldiers.

Next, he paid a visit to Thomas Gray at Councilman de Blasio’s office to see if he could help. Gray served with the U.S. Coast Guard in Kuwait, 2003-04, and is on the Inactive Ready Reserve list. He’s been working for the councilman for two years.

“Fairly often classes would send letters. It’s great. It’s really inspiring (for the soldiers) to see that people care enough to write,” Gray said of his time overseas.

After hearing about the detective’s project with the local schoolchildren, Councilman de Blasio offered to cover the shipping costs and Gray arranged to send the letters for distribution to a former Coast Guard buddy, who’s now a Marine, serving in Iraq.

Initially, Det. Cleary planned to just have students write letters but he added banners after vsiting his alma mater, IHM, and discovering that first-grade teacher Janet Lee’s brother, Army Colonel Gerald Dreher, an orthopedic surgeon, had recently been deployed to a Marine hospital northwest of Baghdad.

Originally from Our Lady of Solace, Coney Island, Col. Dreher, 55, now resides in Texas, where he’s the chief administrator and chief of surgery at the local VA Hospital.

“It’s his fourth tour but his first time in Iraq. He keeps saying he’s safe, he’s not on the field. … (but) you never know,” said Lee. She’s proud but scared for her brother, who has a wife and five sons, ages five to 23, back home.

Det. Cleary and Lee decided IHM students would focus their efforts on Lee’s brother’s hospital. Lee e-mailed her brother who asked students to make banners that could decorate walls and create a “more homey” atmosphere.

Principal Maureen Rooney and some of her sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders show off one of 11 colorful banners Immaculate Heart of Mary schoolchildren made for soldiers serving overseas.

Each class approached the banners in their own way. In the eighth grade, four artists drew a Christmas tree, American flag and the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball, while the entire class wrote short messages around the images.

Kevin, a sixth-grader, said his class “sat on the floor with a big white banner” and drew pictures or wrote messages. He colored a patriotic red, white and blue Christmas tree. He hopes the words and images “bring peace and memories of home,” especially to Lee’s brother.

Bill Mason’s seventh-grade class also wrote letters and cards. One student, Christopher wrote, “Thank you for making this sacrifice for America. I hope you come home soon.” His classmate, Alexandria, wrote a poem thanking her soldier for making “the biggest sacrifice of all, putting your life on the line for a country you love.”

“They’re all our heroes. They represent what America is. They sacrifice so much,” said Tarik, an eighth-grader. “We look up to them.”

They also look up to Det. Cleary, a community officer who has taught the children who know and trust him how one person can make a difference in the lives of others.