Family links with son in Iraq

BOARDMAN — Linda and Ron Simon of Columbiana woke up Thursday thinking about seeing their 23-year-old son, serving in Iraq, and the network of programs making it possible.

Matthew Simon has been stationed with the U.S. Army in Iraq for two months and had spoken to his family once in that time.

The Simons, along with their 26-year-old son, Scott, and 21-year-old daughter, Lisa, made their way to the Mahoning County Educational Service Center on Market Street before 9 a.m. for a video conference call with Matthew.

The service center, in conjunction with the Freedom Calls Foundation, an organization dedicated to keeping soldiers in touch with their families free of charge, sponsored a video conference call for the Simon family.

Cathy Sanor, technical director for MCESC, said the center is offering the use of its video equipment to families who would like to video conference with a family member serving in Iraq. Freedom Calls operates the satellite link that makes the call possible.

Sanor said five families had been scheduled to use the video link service Thursday, but four of those families could not use the system because their family member was on assignment in Iraq and not available.

For more, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com