Kennett man helping collect and distribute supplies for Iraqi schools

Oney Pruett, Mike Henry and Mack Dean work with children of the Green Zone School in Iraq. [Click to enlarge]

Oney Pruett has been volunteering his assistance in setting up schools and helping them to get needed supplies. And, he's getting help from back home.

Pruett is a veteran employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is in Iraq as part of the effort to rebuild that country's infrastructure.

Oney Pruett, the vice-principal of the Boys School, works with Iraqi teachers to get school supplies to the school. [Click to enlarge]

He described the effort of setting up and stocking schools in Iraq as a daunting task, which is being made easier by the people in the U.S. who have made generous contributions.

That effort has been bolstered locally by Jane Marshall, who recently called on state Rep. Otto Bean, R-Holcomb, for help.

Bean, who represents the 163rd House District which includes parts of Dunklin, Butler and Stoddard counties, said Marshall asked for help in getting various supplies needed by school children, including such things as crayons, coloring books, and so on.

Bean said his legislative assistant, Karen Brondel, quickly swung into action contacting individuals and organizations seeking donations of the needed materials.

He said it wasn't long before "boxes and boxes" of materials were on hand--including toys and stuffed animals for the children.

Bean praised the effort being done in Iraq by volunteers like Pruett and those back at home, such as Marshall, to help the people of Iraq.

"We hear a lot of bad things about Iraq, and there are those, but there are good things, positive things, too, we don't always hear about," he said.

Bean said establishing and supplying schools for children to be educated will have a positive impact on Iraq in the future.

"I think education is the answer to turning all the violence in Iraq around. It's something that's going to take a lot of time to turn that corner," he said.