Grinch gets kicked

An old U.S. Marine from Sterling on active military duty in Iraq writes "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - they are regular work days here, but I may cut them short and only work 8 or 10 hours those days!!"

I am writing to update you on the Grinch In Sterling report from earlier.

>>> THERE WERE TWO DAYLIGHT ROBBERIES IN STERLING

Loudoun Sheriff's Investigators are seeking information in two daylight burglaries that occurred in Sterling on Monday. It is unclear at this time if the two cases are related.

The first incident was reported shortly before 4 p.m. in the 200 block of Harrison Road. The residents returned home to find the home rummaged through and an undisclosed amount of cash missing. There were no signs of forced entry. The burglary occurred after the family left the residence for approximately one hour.

The second incident was reported shortly after 4 p.m. in the 1400 block of Kennedy Road. Again the house had been rummaged through. Jewelry and a digital camera had been taken from the home. The burglary occurred after the family left the residence for a little over two hours. There were no obvious signs of forced entry.

If you have any information regarding either of these burglaries you are asked to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. If the caller wishes to remain anonymous they are asked to call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1021. If the information leads to an arrest and indictment, the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000.

>>> STERLING TELLS GRINCH TO LEAVE

I have been talking to neighbors and friends and they are asking what they can do to help. Some of you have written or called. Thank you.

In response, I have called back many of you who called and have called others for suggestions.

Neighbors of the Harrison Road home that was robbed have actively pooled their resources and are raising some money to help pay for Christmas presents for the stolen gifts.

In consultation with several friends of the Harrison Road household I have set up the "Harrison Road Christmas Project" to help a mother of four children, two boys and two girls, ages 9 to 16. This family lost their mortgage payment in the robbery, their Christmas gift's money and I am attempting to raise the sum of $2200 for the mortgage.

A special fund has been set up at Wachovia Bank (see below) to help pay the mortgage payment.

The following donors responded earlier today and rushed donations to me or neighbors: $400 from Gregory Heating and Air Conditioning, Co. (Phone 703-430-4019), toys and $60 in Target gift cards from Good Sheperd Alliance Center of Hope and Loudoun Independent newspaper, $200 from Eastern Loudoun Basketball League, $200 in donations from several neighbors.

Toys and gift cards delivered earlier tonight at five p.m. More tomorrow. We are covered on that front!

Betsy Faulkner, Mark Gunderman, Rev. Charlie Grant, are working on this and asking for help. My thanks to them all for making such great progress in just one day.

>>>Raising The Mortgage Payment.

$500 has been raised for the "Harrison Rd. Christmas Project" fund at Wachovia Bank.

Checks should be made out to "Harrison Rd. Christmas Project - Account No. 1010225052110" To help with the goal of raising a total of $2200.00 --a balance of $1700.00 must be raised. Please consider bringing the check to Wachovia, Herndon Junction branch 47040 Community Plaza VA1166 Sterling, Va. 20164 (phone 703-444-7954) or you can email me at [email protected] and make arrangements to post the check to your door for me to pick up.

I would be delighted to pick up the donation due to the goal of making up the lost payment. The account will be closed once the goal of making the mortgage payment is accomplished. Thank you.

I hope this addresses some of you who wrote me to ask me " WHAT CAN YOU DO?".or "Is the family being helped?".

As you can tell, we are respecting the family's and children's privacy. And we are not allowing this disturbance to further disrupt the family and I hope we can raise the remaining $1700.00 before long. Thank you again to everybody working to help out this family during the Christmas season.

Sometimes I write too much and work too hard. I feel that most of you would do the same thing if you were in my position.

This is one of those times that one person can not do it alone due to a tragedy.

If one of our neighbors falls down or is knocked down, we should help if we can.

Our job as Sterling Americans is to pull together. And as always, we will get it done. Thank you.

Merry Christmas.