Published Monday, October 25, 2004 11:59:54 AM Central Time

By ANDY HILL

Globe Associate Editor

IRONWOOD -- A soldier's desire to touch the lives of Iraqi children has spurred three Ironwood women into action.

"Hey Mom, could you use my tax return money and buy me a box of Beanie Babies for the kids on missions?" wrote First Lt. Anthony Doan.

The son of Tricia and Tim Doan, Ironwood, serves with the U.S. Army.

"When we search houses the young children are usually scared," he said.

Doan's mother and friends Pam Mack and Lynda Van Rossum decided to go Anthony one better and formed an effort called "Pay It Forward," with a goal of sending the toys to Iraq for distribution there.

The response has been immediate.

"We've already received 100 Beanie babies," said Mack. "It costs 60 cents a Beanie to send them to Iraq."

The women have organized the effort to include drop-off points in the community and to raise money to send the dolls. Their stated goal is to facilitate collection and distribution of the dolls through American service personnel overseas, for distribution to children in war zones across the globe.

The women are researching to make sure the dolls do not break any social or cultural taboos relating to the type of doll or its color.

"As a national pastime the Beanie Babies' 15 minutes of fame have come and gone, " said Van Rossum. "Now what do we do with those no-longer-so-collectible collectibles?

"The goal is to get a Beanie Baby into the hands of every child trying to survive the trauma and very real endangerment in war zones."

A local store has donated boxes. Mack is handling collections, packing and shipping, Van Rossum is in charge of publicity and Doan is the liaison with armed forces families.

Drop-off sites include the Breakwater Restaurant and Book World, Ironwood, and Giovanoni True Value, Hurley.

"Why not aspire to putting a Beanie Baby in the hands of each child victimized by wars across the world?" said Van Rossum. "And perhaps, just maybe, one or more child's heart and mind will be touched in such a way as to quell the fires of fear, mistrust and hatred that fuel war and terrorism in the first place."

Parents, spouses or families of military personnel wishing to have a Beanie Baby sent to a loved one may contact Mack at 932-5320 or Van Rossum, 932-6756.

Donations to assist with packaging and shipping expenses may be forwarded to Beanie Aid Fund, Box 398, Ironwood MI 49938.

Mack said the program is a limited one, to continue no later than Thanksgiving and thus not interfere with other charitable efforts.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa, often referred to as "The Mother of Compassion," responded to a question about her many great humanitarian acts," said Van Rossum.

"It was simply, 'Performing small acts with great love,'" Van Rossum said. "Here is our opportunity, as a small community, to do just that. Perhaps we can inspire others across our free and prosperous nation to do the same."