Anyone who would like to perform an act of service in memory of Lance Corporal Jeramy Ailes can write a letter to an armed service person currently serving in harm's way, via Operation Interdependence.

Deliver your letter to Karen Humber, 798 Eschenburg Dr., or Susan Hamilton, 1420 Longmeadow Dr., and they and their dedicated corps of volunteers will wrap it up with a goodie bag of whatever has been donated recently: socks and candy and toothpaste, or Girl Scout cookies, as the case might be.

A National Guardsman named Goff participated in the last pack out. He told us about how when he was serving in Vietnam, he received a letter from a stranger, an 8-year-old child, who wrote: "You must be very brave. I hope you don't get dead."

Goff treasured that letter. He carried it with him for the rest of his tour, and carried it home afterwards. He still has it.

Perhaps you feel paralyzed by the fear that you don't know what to say. Relax. Start by writing "Hi" or "Dear." Then write hero, or serviceman or servicewoman, or American. Don't worry about being profound. The main thing you are trying to convey is that they are remembered and appreciated. The letter will do that, even if you cannot write like Mark Twain.