*EPF410 12/05/2002
Operation Enduring Freedom Coalition Donates Food and Money to U.S. Charities
(Kuwaiti Army Colonel's Initiative Benefits Tampa, Florida) (350)

Coalition gives food and money to local charities
By Marine Sgt. Barry Melton, US Central Command Public Affairs

TAMPA, Fla. - They did it again.

After contributing $824 to the Shriners International Headquarters here Nov.
13, representatives from the 43 coalition countries, along with U.S. forces,
donated money and food to Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries Wednesday (Nov.
27).

"As we help people in Afghanistan, we realize that there are also people in need here in Tampa," said Belgian Air Force Maj. Jose Gantois, a representative to Operation Enduring Freedom at U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, and member of the Humanitarian Assistance Working Group (HAWG).

"We want to express our gratitude to the local community here in Tampa for their hospitality by helping their needy." Their contribution totaled over $1,100 and over 500 pounds of food.

Several of the coalition members traveled downtown, decked in their respective
countries military uniforms, and delivered the donation to the ministries'
holiday donation tent. They shook hands with local volunteers, shared
conversation with Metropolitan Ministries President Morris Himtzman and
Executive Vice-President Karleen Kos, and toured the facility.

The initiative comes from Kuwaiti Army Col. Sahed Alshelaimi, the
HAWG leader at MacDill. In the recent weeks the HAWG has gathered food and money to give to the less fortunate. The HAWG is the coordinating body of all military
humanitarian assistance work done in Afghanistan. The group consists of
representatives from all coalition countries, and they coordinate and direct
a variety of efforts in Afghanistan; hospital renovation, road and bridge
rebuilding, and food and clothing, to name a few. Now people here can
benefit from their efforts.

"It's a wonderful gift to the people of Tampa Bay," said Kos. "It's also a
wonderful opportunity for peace and it shows what this world is all about.
(These donations) give lots of people hope.

"It's overwhelming to think that these representatives, who have
people back in their own countries with needs, also care about the people here in
Tampa," said Lesa Weikel, a Metropolitan Ministries spokesperson. "(Gantois) said
that the people of Tampa have been good to them and they simply wanted to
give back.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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