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R.I. political family heads to Germany with well-wishes

7:00 AM Mon, Nov 23, 2009 | Permalink
By Susan Areson

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By Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau

Two of the four Kilmartin brothers from Pawtucket are headed to Germany on the day after Thanksgiving to deliver a stack of greeting cards -- and yes, that includes House Majority Whip Peter Kilmartin and his brother Paul, who is currently a councilman in Milton, Fla.

Rep. Kilmartin explains: they are going to visit Paul's wife, Lt. Commander Pamela Kilmartin in the Navy Reserve, who is a nurse anesthetist assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where seriously wounded soldiers are sent for treatment.

Once the idea of visiting her and the wounded soldiers took root, Peter Kilmartin said: "Paul and I asked local elementary schools in our respective cities to create greeting/get well cards for the soldiers.''

He was so touched by some of the handwritten greeting cards, he brought them to the State House for his own version of show-and-tell.

What one lacked in punctuation, it made up for in sentiment. A sampling: "We need you now the whole world needs you But get better.''

A second began: "My name is Danielle. I am in 6th grade and I go to Flora Curtis Elementary school. Please get well soon. So you can come home safely for the holidays.'' Another said: "Thank you for being brave...Thank you for letting us have a life.'' And another: "Thank you for saving us from terrorists.''

"As you can see by the samples I left you, the messages from the children have a measure of both insight and innocence. They really are touching,'' Kilmartin said. "If anyone in Rhode Island has a loved one there, please have them email me at rep-kilmartin@rilin.state.ri.us.''