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Forest Employees Assist with Welcome Home Surprise

Tags: Forest
March 15, 2019 12:00 AM
By: DOC Staff

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FOR - 2019 Feb Stewart AND Stitt.jpgAs most of SCI Forest staff are proud supporters of our military, Superintendent Michael Overmyer wanted to share this story.

On Monday Feb. 4, Superintendent's Secretary Connie Skibinski received a phone call from Sgt. Josie Stitt requesting her assistance.  Stitt explained that she has been deployed in Iraq for almost a year.  She was coming home and asked for the prison's help to surprise her mother who is employed at SCI Forest. The proud mother is Tracy Stewart who works in the inmate accounting department. 

Supt. Overmyer gladly approved, and so then the secret mission began. 

Connie made contact with lobby officers T. Millward and R. Griffin, and of course they were willing to help.  On Feb. 7 at 10 a.m., Sgt. Josie Stitt met with Officers Millward and Griffin, and they hid her out of sight.  Then the officers called for the assistance of Ms. Stewart. Once at the officer's desk, Stewart was handed some papers "to copy" and when she turned around…  surprise! There was her daughter. With the help of accounting assistant Denise Messer, staff was rounded up to observe the surprise as well.  There were many tears of joy that day.  It was a pleasure to be able to accommodate and take part in such a surprise.

Sgt. Stitt is currently serving in the U. S. Army Reserves under the 665th Engineer Detachment.  The group – whose motto is "Small but Mighty" – focused on the Department of Public Works (new construction and maintenance missions) while deployed in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. 

Welcome home, Sgt. Josie Stitt! We are all happy for your safe return.


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