A gift from Iraq: Soldiers send U.S. flag back to Lake of the Ozarks women’s group

Who: The Aunts of Osage Beach is a group of about a dozen friends and neighbors of M.J. Lesnick. After Lesnick’s last family member left Iraq more than a year ago, she sought out new soldiers to send packages.
She found the brigade Col. John Hart is in charge of through a family member’s connection and has stayed in contact with him ever since.
Every month, the group sends out packages and letters to more than 30 soldiers stationed in Iraq.

What: After months of sending the care packages, the soldiers sent something back - a flag they had marched with.
On Monday, the Aunts of Osage Beach proudly helped raise that flag to display on the city of Osage Beach’s flag pole.
The packages are filled with everything from letters of encouragement to treats, candies, gum,  and pens and pencils to hand out to Iraqi children.
Often there is also a little money for postage for the soldiers to send letters back home.

Next: Once the flag is taken down after a few days, it will find a more permanent home hanging inside Mitch and Duff’s Restaurant, off Route KK.
Lesnick said the wait staff at the restaurant have been donating to help the Aunts of Osage Beach send the packages overseas.
After the flag arrived, they asked to have the flag to hang inside the restaurant.
Lesnick said she couldn’t think of a better place to display their treasure.
– Deanna Wheeler
deanna.wheeler@lakesunonline.com