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Troops in Iraq get taste of Spiedie Fest

Aug- 7-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

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Festival sends care packages

BY GEORGE BASLER
Press & Sun-Bulletin

DICKINSON -- Organizers are hoping that 90,000 people will make the trek to Otsiningo Park for this year's Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally Expo.

And half a world away, 5,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq will be getting a taste of the same festivities.

The festival has sent 10 "spiedie survival kits," featuring different spiedie sauces, a collection of Spiedie Fest T-shirts, and some Kansas CDs to the troops stationed in Mosul with a Stryker light infantry unit, event coordinator David Pessagno said. The rock group Kansas was the opening act at the festival Friday.

The gift came about after Pessagno was contacted by the family of the brigade commander, Col. Mike Rounds of Greene.

Rounds, 45, loves spiedies, is a big Kansas fan and a past attendee at Spiedie Fests, his sister, Laurie Ross, said.

"He thought it would be really nice to bring a taste of home to his troops," she said.

The Spiedie Fest was pleased to send the gift to help Rounds stage "a big party" for the troops he commands, Pessagno said. Rounds' parents, Jack and Lois Rounds; two sisters; and a niece and a nephew were recognized during the festival's opening ceremonies. [...]


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