May 20, 2008 7:07 pm US/Mountain
Warren Village Kids Help Ft. Carson Soldier
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Kids who help themselves lent a hand to others Tuesday. They helped a Fort Carson soldier and his family -- a family that recently expanded by three.
The idea was to reach out and also teach a lesson. The children know about receiving. Their single-parent families are fortunate to be in a housing program aimed at getting them jobs and back on their feet. This time, it was their turn to offer a hand.
Private First Class Karl Dent is comfortable with kids. He and his wife have six of their own with three between the ages of 2 and 9 years old. They also have month-old triplets. So Dent was thrilled to pick up supplies in Denver. There were toys, clothes and plenty of diapers. All were donated by the Warren Village Learning Center.
"I'm just so happy we can do something for this family," Principal Maria Winstien with the Warren Village Learning Center said.
It was Winstien's idea; part of a program she calls "Our Turn to Give Back."
"We felt that our children needed to learn how to give back some of the things they're blessed to get from others," she said.
The kids liked helping a military family.
"Cuz they are soldiers and they (protect) the earth," a little boy said.
Dent called their effort "awesome."
"I really appreciate it," he said. "I came from a poor family in Jamaica. I don't expect stuff like this."
A happy soldier took a van load of love home and a new take on what it means to serve.
"They showed us what Americans could be like when everybody decides that they're going to do something good," Dent said.
Dent has served in Iraq and anticipates going to Afghanistan for his next deployment. He gave the folks at Warren Village a framed photo of his family. They said they would eventually like all the Dents to visit.
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