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Spreading love, joy to troops overseas

Students throughout Hillsborough craft Valentine's Day cards. "You are very special to me," writes one 7-year-old.

By ELISABETH DYER
Published February 6, 2005

Knowing troops stationed overseas must look forward to getting mail, second-graders at Dunbar Elementary School poured their hearts into writing letters and valentines.

In his most meticulous print, 7-year-old Leandro Gomez wrote: "I just want you to feel company. You work really hard and your really brave. You are very special to me."

Last month, teacher Sarah Hurt gave students a lesson in letter-writing etiquette.

"We're spreading joy to the soldiers," she told the class.

After writing their letters, students swapped pencils for crayons and writing paper for red construction paper. Amid hearts and flowers and valentine wishes, Vinny Ruia, 7, drew a helicopter and Taylor Miller, 8, sketched a tank.

In the past month, students from about 35 elementary, middle and high schools in Hillsborough County have crafted similar messages for Hearts for Heroes.

Local postal spokeswoman Bridget Robertson launched the project three years ago, after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She wanted to get messages of support to service members overseas.

Before the attacks and the anthrax incidents, people could send mail addressed to Any Service Member Overseas.

Now, mail must be addressed to a specific service member, with name, rank and unit. The result: There's less mail to go around.

Robertson didn't want that to happen on Valentine's Day.

To ensure the contents are safe, teachers verified the valentines were made under their supervision. Postal employees picked up and stored the valentines - about 5,000 in all - at the Tampa post office conference room.

With help from MacDill Air Force Base and postal employees who are in the military, Robertson contacted seven units stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany and Korea that agreed to accept the valentines.

The toughest task for postal workers will be tracking down a unit once the mail arrives at the overseas processing center, Robertson said. "They might be sweeping through one part of the country or another."

Robertson alloted two weeks for the letters to reach the soldiers. Schools had until Jan. 28 to finish them, so they could be mailed Jan. 31.

Students at Dunbar, a magnet for math and science, will deliver some of the letters to service members stationed at MacDill on Feb. 11.

Among the letters is one from 7-year-old Charity Franks, who wrote: "I have not forgot you. Thank you for serving our country. I hope you are not hurt. Be carful out there it's dangerus. I'm deppending on you. all the kids are."

Elisabeth Dyer can be reached at 226-3321 or edyer@sptimes.com

[Last modified February 5, 2005, 09:49:05]