BASKETS

For Local Foster Kids

Silverliners Group Steps In To Help

We salute John Picco (left) and Matt Pearce, both Key West locals, for their service to our nation. Picco was commissioned into the Navy in 1993, earning the Navy Wings of Gold and flew in 9 di erent squadrons. A Top Gun graduate, Picco has over 3000 flight hours, 800 carrier landings and 80 combat missions. Matt Pearce has over 24 years of service in the United States Marine Corps and Navy. With over 50 combat missions, Pearce is the VFC-111 Public A airs O cer and the F-5 Program Manager.

Proud supporter of the 2023 NAS Key West Southernmost Air Specatular

The local chapter of Silverliners, retired flight attendants dedicated to helping their community, also helped the Easter Bunny this year. With the help of Deborah Bailey, an advocate for local kids in foster care, the Silverliners helped the big bunny assemble giant Easter baskets for seven local foster kids, aged 2 to 15.

The individualized baskets included specific items requested by each child as well as bath items, wallets, toiletries and Dairy Queen gift cards. One little girl’s basket included pool noodles, beach toys and a hula hoop. Another child wanted stuffed animals, while teens received makeup, wallets, a salon hair cut and styling session from Salty Roots, movie tickets from Regal Cinema with $20 for snacks, gift cards from Smoothie Shuttle and assorted candy. — Contributed

Keys Weekly Honors Local Aviator

LT. COMMANDER MATT REED PLAYS THE BAD GUYS IN THE SKIES

Lieutenant Commander Matt “LC” Reed has been an adversary instructor pilot with the Sundowners since 2013. Before Key West, he flew the F/A-18C Hornet in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on three combat deployments on board the USS Eisenhower. His wife Colleen is an attorney with Reed Palacios Law Firm. They have two kids and too many animals to list. When he isn’t filming HGTV specials, he’s coaching Little League baseball.

(On a lighter note, here’s the bio Reed’s Navy “friends” wrote for him in jest: “LCDR Matt ‘LC’ Reed continues to thrive in the U.S. Navy after parlaying a clerical error allowing him into pilot training instead of submarine supply service. Not only did he hoodwink the Navy into allowing him to fly F-18s off of boats, he also married well above his pay grade. Somehow all his kids and pets (the American ones) are thriving and doing well, in spite of his addictive fishing habit.”