CAMPBELLTOWN, LEBANON COUNTY -
The teachers and students gathered at the Discovery Junction Child Development Center on Friday afternoon had a big surprised planned for Army Specialist Nicole Bahm.
The soldier with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade is finally home after an 8-month deployment, and her young son, Cameron, couldn't be happier.
He ran to hug her as she pulled into the parking lot of Discovery Junction on the back of her dad's Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Cameron wasn't alone. Dozens of his classmates joined him in celebrating his mom's homecoming from Iraq.
Bahm arrived back on U.S. soil at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, last week.
After a few days of briefings, she made the trip back to Campbelltown.
"I was really surprised and shocked and just overwhelmed that everybody was out there," Bahm said. "I didn't know they were going to do something this nice for me."
Local businesses donated everything from balloons to cake for the party.
Bahm's family helped out, too.
"I have a lot of confidence in my daughter," Nicole's father, Tim Bahm, said. "She's done well, she's been outgoing, so I'm very proud of her."
Bahm's father is in the Guardian Knights Motorcycle Club.
He rides frequently to honor soldiers and raise money to send care packets to troops overseas.
On Friday, he was riding to celebrate his daughter's service.
"All the people being so happy to have a soldier back, it's overwhelming," he said.
The party is also a life lesson for the students.
"All children should be raised that way, so when they see a police officer, a firefighter, a soldier, they need to say 'thank you'," pre-kindergarten teacher Judy Hall said.
It's a message Nicole Bahm will be hearing a lot around Campbelltown.
"I didn't think this many people knew. I didn't think that this many people cared," Bahm said. "I think it's awesome that the kids are active in supporting the troops and everything."
The soldier with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade is finally home after an 8-month deployment, and her young son, Cameron, couldn't be happier.
He ran to hug her as she pulled into the parking lot of Discovery Junction on the back of her dad's Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Cameron wasn't alone. Dozens of his classmates joined him in celebrating his mom's homecoming from Iraq.
Bahm arrived back on U.S. soil at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, last week.
After a few days of briefings, she made the trip back to Campbelltown.
"I was really surprised and shocked and just overwhelmed that everybody was out there," Bahm said. "I didn't know they were going to do something this nice for me."
Local businesses donated everything from balloons to cake for the party.
Bahm's family helped out, too.
"I have a lot of confidence in my daughter," Nicole's father, Tim Bahm, said. "She's done well, she's been outgoing, so I'm very proud of her."
Bahm's father is in the Guardian Knights Motorcycle Club.
He rides frequently to honor soldiers and raise money to send care packets to troops overseas.
On Friday, he was riding to celebrate his daughter's service.
"All the people being so happy to have a soldier back, it's overwhelming," he said.
The party is also a life lesson for the students.
"All children should be raised that way, so when they see a police officer, a firefighter, a soldier, they need to say 'thank you'," pre-kindergarten teacher Judy Hall said.
It's a message Nicole Bahm will be hearing a lot around Campbelltown.
"I didn't think this many people knew. I didn't think that this many people cared," Bahm said. "I think it's awesome that the kids are active in supporting the troops and everything."
