 The Marion Star/Bill Sinden George Washington Elementary School kindergarten student Riley Leathers shakes hands on Monday with Marine Staff Sgt. Joseph Marks as Sgt. Jerry Hostutler looks on after Riley dropped off some items to be sent to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Cuba.
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MARION -- Students at George Washington Elementary School hope to make Christmas a little brighter for Marines serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Cuba this year through Operation Interdependence.
One by one students lined up to hand one of two Marines the small items the school is collecting, under the leadership of kindergarten teacher Pat Lynch, to be sent to the troops. After the Marine accepted the item or items, they gave the student a handshake, a patriotic pencil, and a hand silhouette in either red or blue to put their name on and placed on what Lynch hopes will eventually be an American flag just inside the main entrance of the school.
Children brought the items for a variety of reasons from dad or grandpa being in the military to parents encouraging they do so as a means of saying thank you for serving their country.
"'Cause I care about the flag," said second-grader Daniel Kovacs as he walked away all smiles after shaking hands with Staff Sgt. Joseph Marks, the non-commissioned officer in charge for the Marine recruiting station in Mansfield.
Ben Davis, fifth-grader, said he brought candy, deodorant and a deck of cards. Myranda Meachem, also a fifth-grader, brought a few comic books. Both said their grandfathers had been in the Marines.
Lynch was overwhelmed as members of her kindergarten class came around the corner in single file each bearing items in their small hands and big grins after receiving a handshake from one of the Marines. They then went by Lynch and gave her a hug.
Lynch said through the Marion City Schools Web site, she also had asked for students to submit letters to be sent on to troops and received several letters as well as drawings.
"Thank you for keeping our country free," wrote Meghann Rumple, who also drew a picture of the flag with two people standing in front of them on the front of her letter.
"I just want to tell you how much we appreciate what you are doing for us and how lucky we are to have you there fighting the United State's battle risking your life every day," wrote eighth-grader Tiffany Purcell. "I think about how brave you are to go to Iraq. I can't even imagine how scary it is for you."
Marks and Sgt. Jerry Hostutler, recruiter in Marion, said they often have the opportunity to go into schools but this one was different.
"We do a lot in the schools, mostly recruit," Marks said. "We tell who we are, what we do, what our jobs are and how important school and their education is to them. We always tell them you have to graduate to go into the Marines."
Lynch said after her son, Chris, joined the Marines a year ago, she and her husband joined with up the Marine Corps Family Support Community support group in Columbus. Their son is not deployed overseas but rather is in security forces guarding a nuclear submarine base at Kings Bay, Ga.
Lynch said attendance at the support group meetings has clearly shown her the need for such a group as many of the parents have more than one son in the Marines.
The intent of the collection, Lynch said, was for the students to take in small items that would fit in the backpack that the Marines carry with them as they move around.
The collection continues through Wednesday and items gathered at George Washington will be shipped to Indiana and then on to Iraq, Lynch said, adding boxes will be sent to a helicopter unit, a motor transport unit and to Germany to a hospital that provides medical services to Marines.
"We're always looking for new addresses of Marines," Lynch said. She may be reached through the school at 740-223-4883.