Press of Atlantic City , The (NJ)
November 20, 2005

GALLOWAY DUO WORKS TO SEND HUGS, APPRECIATION TO U.S. TROOPS AT WAR

Author: MEGGAN CLARK Staff Writer, (609) 272-7209

Edition: All
Section: Region
Page: E1
Dateline: GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP

Estimated printed pages: 4

Article Text:

"Thank you so much for the birthday greetings! It always helps to receive letters while being deployed ... it's hard to keep your head up here, but its things like your letters that make the time easier. I will be sure to stay as happy on my birthday as possible."

This letter-writer is an American serviceman stationed in the Arabian Gulf . His letter was to his "huggee," an American pen-pal he found through a local service organization that may be one of Galloway Township 's best-kept secrets.

Run by Samantha Novotny, of Brick Township, Ocean County, and Kristin Petrella, of Absecon, Atlantic County, Hugs from Home is an Oceanville-based organization that links servicemen with people who agree to write to them once a month.

Founded in 2004, the not-for-profit service now has 290 "huggers" nationwide and abroad, and 380 "huggees," or servicemen receiving letters. It's a second full-time job for Novotny and Petrella, who spend three to seven hours a day each responding to e-mails, screening membership applications and making sure "huggers" are writing.

Surprisingly, only about 25 of Hugs from Home's members are from New Jersey , and few of those are from the southern New Jersey region.

But Hugs has members from nearly all 50 states, including entire classes of children who adopt soldiers. There's even a German woman whose boyfriend is an American serviceman, Novotny and Petrella said.

The two run a tight ship. Membership candidates have to fill out an application, formally pledge to write once a month, and promise not to send their assigned serviceman banned gifts, such as pork or pornography. Huggers 19 and younger get a serviceperson of their own gender. Striking up a romantic relationship is grounds for expulsion. So is failing to write monthly.

"Huggers" are warned that they may never hear from their "huggee" - but most do.

"When you do, it's awesome," Novotny said. She writes to four servicemen.

"You jump up and down like a little schoolgirl," said Petrella, who writes to seven.

While Novotny and Petrella keep the identities of Hugs from Home's servicemen confidential, they did share some of their letters. They range from chatty to sad, but the most common theme is gratitude to their "huggers."

"Thank you, I lost a coworker to a roadside bomb last week," wrote one. "She was a young lieutenant out doing a survey of a road that needs to be repaired. Just like that she was snuffed out, that's how easy it is to be killed here ..."

"thanks so much for the goodies ... it was right on time .. and everyone loves them ... I myself am a fan of the jerky ..." wrote another.

"I want to thank you for all you're doing. I really appreciate it," writes a third. "We all do. I wish there were more people out there like you. Not everybody agrees with what we are doing. It helps to know that there are people out there who care."

"That's the number one thing that we hear, `It's nice to know that people at home support us,' " Novotny said.

Some of the servicemen are on their second or third deployment, she said.

"They need to know that we are praying for them and wanting them to come home safe."

Rosie Bates, of Galloway, is one of the New Jersey "huggers." She writes to two people, a serviceman and a woman. She has gotten only one letter back, but she keeps writing and sending packages.

"A lot of people don't know what a letter can mean," she said. "My husband was in the service (the 82nd Airborne Division)... At mail call, he said it was the most depressing thing, not to get a piece of mail."

The letters are only the beginning of Hugs from Home's work. Wednesday night found Novotny and Petrella on their hands and knees, sorting through boxes of CDs, toiletries, food, DVDs, books and other goodies in a back room at Fred & Ethel's Lantern Light Tavern in Smithville.

They're planning to send 95 personalized stockings to two military units stationed in Iraq , along with several holiday trees. Each stocking will have a soldier's name on it and a card inside.

All of the items were donated by Hugs From Home's members.

Other projects include writing to wounded soldiers and sending them blankets.

As "addictive" as Novotny says the work is, there are some sad moments, too. Two of the servicemen who had been "adopted" through Hugs From Home have been killed in action. Several others have been wounded.

Hugs From Home takes no position on the war in Iraq and encourages members not to bring politics into the mix.

"Supporting the troops and supporting the war are two totally different things," Petrella says.

"There's no politics," Novotny adds. "I think that's one of the best things about our organization."

"You're just writing a letter to say hello," Petrella said.

"And to say `Thank you,' " Novotny finishes.

TO LEARN MORE

www.hugsfromhome.org

Hugs from Home's current needs:

* More `huggers'

* CDs and DVDs to stuff servicemen's holiday stockings

* Legal assistance to become a nonprofit corporation

Donations may be sent to:

Hugs from Home

PO Box 313

Oceanville , NJ 08321

Caption:
Samantha Novotny, left, and Kristin Petrella pack care packages at Fred & Ethel's Lantern Light Tavern in Smithville to send to soldiers in Iraq . The two women run Hugs from Home, which matches soldiers with local pen pals and occasional treats. Staff color photo by Edward Lea

Copyright, 2005, South Jersey Publishing Company t/a The Press of Atlantic City
Record Number: 0511200114