York Town News
On Memorial Day: York High School student to honor a soldier's wish
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - When Mike Little was asked how he would like people to remember his son, Spc. Kyle A. Little, who was killed earlier this month by a roadside bomb in Iraq, he spoke of his son's love for Little League, the Red Sox and baseball in general.
This Monday, Memorial Day 2007, one of the students at York High School, where Little works, will be reaching out to the community to help honor 20-year-old Kyle in just the way his father suggested.
Kathleen Brown is both a York High School student and a Girl Scout. At school, she is also a member of the Future Tradesmen of York Club, a group led by Mike Little.
"I have known Mike for a number of years. Mike has been an important figure in our community. He has always been there for us and he gives everything he has to helping others," Kathleen said last week after the tragic news of Kyle's death had spread throughout the community. "I think it is time we gave back. It is time to show our support. I want to honor Mike's family, especially his son."
Kathleen will be pushing a grocery car in the Memorial Day Parade this coming Monday, May 28, filled with baseballs and gloves donated by her fellow students in memory of Kyle.
"Mike Little asked everyone to donate baseball gloves and balls to the Little League in his son's name," she explained. "I am contacting all the schools in York and asking every student to bring in a glove or ball for Kyle."
As of Monday, Kathleen had set up donation boxes at York Middle School, Village Elementary School, Coastal Ridge Elementary School and York High School.
"For the Memorial Day Parade I will be pushing a grocery cart filled with the donated baseball gloves and balls in Kyle's memory. Any student who didn't get a chance to leave there donation at the school can deposit it in the cart during the parade," Kathleen said. "After the parade they will be donated to the York Recreation Department for the Little League teams. Please support my dream by bringing a baseball or mitt to the school or parade."
Kathleen's mother, Bonnie-Jean Brown, said she and Kathleen are working to arrange a presentation of the items collected with the York Parks and Recreation Department and Mike Little.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione told the School Committee last week that since the "tragic news of Mike Little's son in Iraq ... the four schools have come together in support of them."
Little, too, said he has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community of York, where he and his wife Katrina are both employed by the York School Department, and from North Berwick, where they live.
"When I told Mike what Kathleen was doing for his son and family, Mike smiled and said, ‘Yes that is what we asked for.' He is very proud of Kathleen," Bonnie-Jean said.
Kathleen, meanwhile, is focused only on honoring the memory of a young man who, as his father put it, died while doing what he believed was right.
"I would like to honor this fallen soldier who gave all," she said.
The town's municipal offices will be closed Monday in honor of Memorial Day. The parade is scheduled to begin with a gathering of participants at St. Christopher's Church and a procession through town to the First Parish Cemetery for a memorial service.
