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Cape Cod family really
'Cares for Our Troops'
By Senior Airman James Regan
102nd Fighter Wing Seagull: April, 2006

A workbench packed with boxes sits in the center of long, narrow room. The walls are lined with collapsible tables, which are crowded with bins. Candy, clothing and toiletries are piled high in each of the containers. There is a pair of windows, but not much light comes through on this winter morning. "You usually can't see the windows at all. We always have shaving cream and toothpaste stacked high," Dylan DeSilva said. "The electrician told me he would come over whenever things clear out. So, we figure we won't see him for a couple of years," added his mother, Michelle. Dylan along with his sisters Jaime and Torri, brother J.D., Uncle Jon, and his parents Michelle and Paul, are better know as Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops. This nonprofit organization is responsible for sending more than 600 care packages To military men and women serving overseas. Originally intended to include two bedrooms, kitchen and a mudroom, the 100-square foot addition to the family's Brewster home now looks more like a warehouse for major product line. It serves as the headquarters for the organization. Originating from a Boy Scout project, the idea for the organization was Dylan's. One of his Scout leader's sons was in Iraq and Pack 73 provided him regularly with care packages. Once he returned home, Dylan and his family thought they should continue the good work. Earlier this year, the 102nd Fighter Wing invited the family to the base for a tour and a special presentation from several unit members. After a warm introduction by wing commander, Col. Paul Worcester, Master Sgt. Ken Boyd presented the family with a flag on behalf of the Honor Guard. Later, the maintenance squadron supplied the family with several boxes of donations to be used for care packages. Several Airmen also stopped by to greet the family and say "thank you." Master Sgt. Chris Anderson of the 253rd Combat Communications Group, who spent time in Afghanistan and received a package from the family, said, "They were a constant Reminder of why we were over there and what we have to look forward to when we returned home." As a way to bring attention to military personnel, the DeSilva family put them in the Spotlight - literally. They organized last years "Troops in the Spotlight" in less than a month and with the help of a flatbed truck, company donations, private donations and several willing service members, it was a success. So much so, that it is now a yearly event. The second annual "Troops in the Spotlight" will take place on Memorial Day Weekend In the Kmart Shopping plaza on Route 132, Hyannis. Starting at noon and continuing for 24 hours, military personnel representing every branch of the service will be standing at attention. Everyone involved is confident that this year will be even better than the first and the bar has been set high. Radio station PIXY 103 gave away concert tickets, t-shirts were sold, ribbons were handed out, a flatbed truck served as the platform for the troops, and there was a separate tent for organizing donations. Everything ran as planned until Dennis-Yarmouth High School showed up with 1,200 items as part of its truckload of supplies. It was incredible and a great surprise, added Mrs. DeSilva, with a laugh. Turning a bit more sentimental, she recalled the parents who handed the DeSilvas "crumpled pieces of paper" with their kid's names on it. They were fighting overseas and the DeSilvas immediately made getting them packages a priority. New additions to this year's event include two hours dedicated to police and fire departments. Cruisers and trucks from every town will enter the Kmart Plaza during their respective hour and drop off their department's donations. While most of the people the DeSilvas have met have been supportive, they have encountered some who weren't. Once when Dylan was sending out one of the weekly shipment of boxes at the local post office, a customer waiting behind him became impatient. The postal employee came out from behind the counter and explained to her that "there's nothing you're mailing that is more important than what he's mailing," Mrs. DeSilva said. But due to the press coverage the family has received, they know most people understand their focus.

Initially, Michelle and Paul DeSilva were unsure about allowing any press to interact with the family. Harboring the felling that it shouldn't be about them, just about the troops, they declined interviews and appearances. However, after discussing it as a family, they decided it would be best to bring attention to their cause. And the coverage has helped. Dylan has appeared on Fox News and chatted with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, while Torri manned a fire truck in the Falmouth Christmas Parade. The organization is mentioned daily on PIXY 103, due in part to program director Suzanne Tonaire's enthusiasm for the cause. Ms. Tonaire - better known as the Rock Babe - is excited about the upcoming events and the inception of the PIXY Platoon. Listeners can "enlist" on the station's web site and by doing so, receive emails about upcoming events. In the near future, there will be an "item of the week" - whatever is in low supply for the DeSilva family. "We're committed with them until the end and hopefully there will be an end in sight soon," said Suzanne. Of all the recognition the family has received, perhaps the most illustrious was the letter sent by President Bush. After hearing his State of the Union address, the family sent him a sample care package and to their surprise, received a response. Andrew Card, the president's chief of staff, also sent a letter of his own. The DeSilva's now have their own version of "mail call" and it's taken quite seriously - just ask Torri, who was locked out of the house by Dylan after she reached the mailman before he did. The family insists they never expected any responses, but do admit that when one arrives, it's the highlight of their day. A grin creeps across J.D.'s face when he recounts the story of one soldier in particular. "He never got any mail, so he never bothered going to mail call. When they called his name (for our package) somebody had to run and get him" A fellow soldier then sent the DeSilvas a letter telling then what it had meant to his friend. "He'd been over there for six months and he hadn't received any mail or packages. We've probably sent him at least one a month, if not more," JD added. Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops helps many troops beyond Cape Cod. When Army Pvt. 1st Class Joshua Sparling was recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered in Iraq, a deceptively innocent card reached his bed at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington. The cover was decorated with kindhearted pictures, but it contained a truly repulsive message. The supposed elementary school author wrote... "Dear Soldier, Have a great time in the war and have a great time dying in the war. From Miguel P.S. Die..." The DeSilvas immediately sent emails to everyone they know in order to combat this hatred.

Working with his family, Dylan DeSilva is the prime mover behind the Cape Cod "Cares for Our Troops" program.

They have purchased a portable DVD player with their fund-raising money and sent that to Joshua as well. The family has tried to construct a schedule for assembling the care packages, but that's proven to be difficult. One person will come out to work on a few things, but then they'll all end up out there, said Mrs. DeSilva "Last night, we came home and there were two or three of our friends at our house putting together packages," she said. The biggest out of pocket expense the family endures is the actual shipping. There are also items that are always in constant demand, like coffee and Slim Jims. Anything that comes in a travel size is always highly sought after. For this reason, the family is negotionating a deal with Kmart and BJ's Warehouse to purchase supplies in large quantities. "we go in one morning and the employees will think their sections are all set and by the time we've left, we have wiped out have the Section," Mrs. DeSilva said. The selflessness of U.S. military personnel continues to surprise the family the most. Toys were not included in the care packages until emails were received asking for them…not for our soldier's entertainment, but to give to Iraqi children. They've proven to ease tension when families drive their vehicles through mandatory checkpoints. The soldier's lighthearted jokes about intense situations also surprise the family. Retired Brid. Gen. Sam Shiver, who gave Dylan his personal German flight jacket, said that what makes the family's work truly tremendous is the small size of the organization. With a core group of only six people, Cape Cod Cares for our Troops is accomplishing exceptional tasks.