Byline: Karen Nugent

CLINTON - It was the old stories from his grandfathers and uncle that inspired Derek J. Peto to join the Navy Seabees.

But it was the reality of what he sees every day on his latest mission in the Horn of Africa that motivated him to start a collection drive

The effort reaches across continents and an ocean, with his hometown joining in to donate items such as diapers and bottles for babies, and toys and school supplies for teenagers.

Mr. Peto, a construction electrician third class with the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four, said in an e-mail his group, which does construction work around the world, is involved in a church program in Africa in which the group goes out of town twice a week to visit a baby orphanage and a youth-teenage orphanage.

The poverty he saw there was so bad, Mr. Peto immediately e-mailed his friends and family in town and asked them to gather clothing, sandals, soccer balls, and other items to give to the children.

His stepfather, Clinton Police Officer Robert E. Champagne, will soon have a donation box set up at the police station, 176 Chestnut St., for blankets, diapers, baby bottles, baby food, wipes, crib mobiles, soap, radios, toys, volley and soccer balls, coloring books and crayons, books in English, nonperishable food items, such as candy, and Gatorade, washcloths and towels, and sandals.

Officer Champagne said the items will be mailed in bulk using reduced military postal rates.

Mr. Peto, a 2004 Clinton High School graduate, said the Navy stories he heard from his grandfathers Jim Peto and Robert L. Champagne, and his uncle, Fran Peto, made him want to join. But he wasn't wild about going to sea, so he decided on the Navy Seabees, who also go through combat training and boot camp.

His current six-month deployment, which started in August, is with a detachment of 124 Seabees based in Ventura County, Calif.

The Seabees are building an airport, seaport, and military camp to join with other military forces from around the world to promote regional cooperation in fighting extremism, according to a Navy publication. The Seabees are also providing humanitarian aid, such as building schools and digging wells.

Mr. Peto's mother, Jodi L. Champagne, said she was initially nervous when her son, the oldest of three boys, joined the Seabees and was deployed overseas.

"But then I was proud - very proud," she said yesterday.

"It changed him. It made him grow up; he changed into a nice gentleman right after boot camp - not that he wasn't before, he was always a good kid," Mrs. Champagne said, crediting her son's high school teachers for contributing to his character.

"Now he realizes what he has here, and what people don't have," she said. "We were talking, and he said, `Mom, these people don't even have shoes.' I'm glad someone from Clinton is making a difference."

Contact reporter Karen Nugent at knugent@telegram.com.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Seabee Derek R. Peto of Clinton, back row, second from right, has started a collection drive for orphanages in Africa.