Students send soldiers holiday greetings By Rebecca Correa , Staff writer Eagle-Tribune — SALEM

If soldiers overseas won't get home in time to taste home cooking this holiday season, they'll at least get a reminder of what it looks like from local students who drew pictures of holiday celebrations for them. More than 100 Barron Elementary students spent the past week drawing cards, writing letters and collecting goods for care packages that will be sent to men and women in the armed forces. Guidance counselor Frank Stewart helped organize the first-time event at the school, which he said tied in with a social studies lesson. "We're always trying to look at community service projects we can do, and it just so happened fifth-graders are doing a unit on how they can make a difference," Stewart said. "This came up, and it was perfect." For teachers, it was a lesson in civil service, but for students it was a way to thank the troops. Jacob Slepian, 10, said this was the first time he had ever had a chance to thank the troops - since the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003. "It's nice to help the soldiers that are helping us," Jacob said. "We wanted to give them things they don't have." Yesterday, students wrapped toiletries purchased by their parents - tissues, toothbrushes and soap. Each gift was wrapped in green and silver paper, labeled for a female or male soldier, and placed in bags that will be mailed later this week. The postage will be paid by a Methuen, Mass.-based nonprofit group, New England Caring for Our Military. NECOM began a campaign last month to get students from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to mail more than 100,000 cards and gifts to soldiers overseas. And while Stewart said the project wasn't mandatory, almost all the teachers in grades three through five chose to participate. Third- and fourth-graders chose to create cards and holiday banners instead of mailing gifts. Some cards depict men and women in camouflage clothing, leaning against tanks. Others showed families celebrating Christmas, but all of them had personalized messages. Youthful messages such as, "you rock" and "you're awesome" scrolled across the tops of dozens of completed cards. But others had more somber messages, thanking soldiers for all they had done and wishful thoughts such as, "I really hope you don't get hurt." Celeste Sousa, 10, who made a seven-page book about the special recognition soldiers deserve, said she wanted to make a book to make a whole troop - not just one soldier - smile. She said she didn't care if a soldier from California or New Hampshire looked at it, as long as they felt special at Christmas. "I just want someone to get it. It's a nice thing to do at Christmas when they're away from their families," she said.

Rebecca Correa
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