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An Army carry team carries the transfer case containing the remains of Army Capt. Scott P. Pace, of Brawley, upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base on Friday in Delaware. (AP PHOTO / June 10, 2012) |
BRAWLEY — It was a noble cause what members of the Magnolia 4-H Club did Saturday to honor U.S. Army Capt. Scott Patrick Pace, who recently died in Afghanistan.
Not only did the club decide to decorate all of Main Street with ribbons to honor Brawley’s fallen hero; they did so at 3 p.m., despite the more than 100-degree weather.
But to decorate the street is nothing compared to Capt. Pace’s sacrifice, said Chase Klicka, 16, vice president of Magnolia 4-H Club.
Chase and his father, Rick Klicka, along with Brawley Floral, spearheaded the effort to decorate the streets with red, white and blue ribbons.
However, other businesses and institutions joined the efforts, like Brawley Police and Brawley Fire departments.
“We wanted Mr. Pace to know that his son’s death wasn’t in vain,” Chase said. This was also a way to offer “our blessings to the Pace family.”
Capt. Pace, 33, and 1st Lt. Mathew Fazzari, 25, died in a helicopter crash Wednesday in eastern Afghanistan after they were engaged by enemy forces in Ghazni province.
Both bodies were returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday.
“Scott was a strong individual,” said Kelly Hannon, one of the volunteers who was sorting bows for other volunteers to place. Her son grew up with Capt. Pace, she said.
“This is why this means a lot for us,” added her husband, John Hannon.
“He (Pace) was a blessing to this community and a blessing to the United States,” she said.
Meanwhile, cars and volunteers joined the caravan that left from Fire Station 2 only to stop at each if not all corners along Main Street.
Sierra Buck, 9, was one of those volunteers. She heard about Capt. Pace from her mother, Sierra said, and “I thought it was really special to put up these ribbons, especially because my cousin is overseas right now.”
For Coltin Harder, 16, president of Magnolia 4-H, the ribbons are also “a way to honor all the people that served and died in the military to protect our country.”
Furthermore, Coltin hopes that when people see the ribbons, they want to find out about Capt. Pace, he said, and honor his memory as well.
Staff Writer Alejandro Davila can be reached at 760-337-3445 or adavila@ivpressonline.com
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