Boxer Sailors Help School Fight Flu

SAN DIEGO - Sailors from amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) sanitized classrooms and common areas as part of a community relations project at Lakeside Farms Elementary School.

Approximately 50 Boxer Sailors wiped down desks, chairs and other high-contact areas of the school to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 "Swine Flu" strain of influenza and other communicable illnesses.

The participants from Boxer were greeted with refreshments and were then briefed on the parameters of the project by the school's principle, Scott Goergens.

"The Sailors from the Boxer basically cleaned the school from top to bottom, all for the cause of disease prevention," said Goergens. "We have a janitorial staff that regularly cleans the classrooms, but we haven't had this level of deep cleaning in a while. It's really making the school a safer and cleaner environment for the kids."

Goergens organized the event with Lt. Russell Martin, Boxer's chaplain, taking advantage of the Veteran's Day holiday to perform the work, while the students were out of class so as not to disrupt the learning environment. Goergens said the absent children were nonetheless very excited to have the Sailors at their school, and they created a welcome banner and decorations displayed throughout the school to greet the Sailors.

"The entire community has been very excited about this visit," Goergens said. "The parent teacher group came in early to set up. This school has had a 15-year relationship with the Navy through various volunteers, and whenever the students see Navy people at school, they get very excited."

"I can't imagine a more awesome group of people to work with," Goergens said of Boxer's Sailors. "Everyone was very nice and polite, and they really got into it. They worked hard."

Martin said community relations projects such as these provide Sailors with an opportunity to not only take part in and give back to their local community, but to positively represent the Navy in the national community. Boxer Sailors have participated in many community relations projects in San Diego and around the world, he said.

"I think the participants had a really good time as well," Martin said. "Everyone was very engaged, and they really gave it their all."

Boxer Sailors echoed the chaplain's sentiments, and said they were impressed with the school's preparation for their arrival.

"I signed up for the community relations project to do some good work," said Information Systems Technician Seaman Eric Olson, who spent the majority of the project sanitizing playground equipment and desks.

After sanitizing the school, Boxer Sailors were treated to a barbecue lunch provided by the Lakeside Optimist Club, a local charitable organization. Comprised of military veterans, the club has provided funding for several of Lakeside Farms Elementary's school programs.