Holts Summit Guardsman and family treated to ballgame

Robert Wendell, along with his wife Dena and son Jon, enjoy watching the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the San Diego Padres Monday. Wendell and his family were treated to the game by Fox Sports Midwest after he returned from a 10-month deployment in Afghanistan with the Missouri National Guard.
Robert Wendell, along with his wife Dena and son Jon, enjoy watching the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the San Diego Padres Monday. Wendell and his family were treated to the game by Fox Sports Midwest after he returned from a 10-month deployment in Afghanistan with the Missouri National Guard.

Fox Sports recently treated a Holts Summit man serving America's military to the nation's pastime.

1st Sgt. Robert Wendell of the Missouri National Guard's 1138th Transportation Company got the VIP treatment at Busch Stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals' Monday game against the San Diego Padres. Wendell had recently returned from Afghanistan, where he oversaw a 10-month convoy operation where his company hauled billions of dollars in equipment.

"I took care of the personnel of it," Wendell said of his job. "Their well-being was my concern. We had four different convoys out on the road at a time, and when we took on some other companies, sometimes we had six convoys. When they're on the road you just don't sleep, you lay there and hope your phone doesn't ring all night long. If it doesn't, it's a good night."

Wendell had previously been involved with Fox Sports, when he got to wish his wife, Dena, a happy birthday in September during a live Cardinals broadcast with the 1138th. This time, however, he got to see the Redbirds up close and personal. Robert, Dena, and 14-year-old Jon, were presented with luxury suite tickets and an on-the-field interview with the Fox Sports pre-game show. They also got to see the Cards edge out a 4-3 win.

"It's fabulous," said Wendell. "The troops are getting a lot of support right now, and I just thought it was great that I was able to go to the game. For them to say "thank you' for what I've done, I really appreciate it."

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.