By Chris Emery,St. Peter and Sacred Heart School

This Christmas the junior high at St Peter and Sacred Heart School took the list of soldiers from the Sun Journal and brought in things to ship overseas in care packages to each of them. We made 14 packages filled with everything from granola to eye drops. So far we have had responses from two of the soldiers thanking us for the care packages. Among the people was a relative of a student who goes to St. Peter and Sacred Heart School.

This project began when the Sun Journal published a story about service people serving overseas in the living section of the Sun Journal. Mrs. Desjardins asked if we wanted to do this as a project and we said yes. It was a project for Christmas. She wanted 22 items per person but it didn’t end that way. In early December the 8th graders started to assemble the boxes. Christmas candy, cards, puzzles, socks, and snack food were among things brought in. Also sent was a box of magazines. We are going to continue by sending Valentines to them. We are doing this to recognize that they need support from the states and what a better time to start than now.

Here is one of the thank you letters we received from a soldier in Iraq.

Dear 6, 7-8th graders and teachers

First of all I want to thank you very much for the care package which I received on December 18 and it was intact. That was nice of all of you 6, 7, 8th graders and teachers to send out a care package.

The weather has cooled down quite a bit since this summer. The temps are now in the low 50’s during the day and low 30’s at night.

We are real busy over here building for the Iraqi Army. We have 12 buildings to build in the next few weeks.

We have been in Iraq for about 10 months and hope to be home sometimes in March.

Well thanks again for the care package and thanks for thinking about us over here.

Have a good winter season.

Sgt. Michael Bolduc