Project connects elementary students with soldiers serving in Iraq

Hilary Thompson, Contributing

May 5, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Clay County Child Care Center houses the daycare it shares the building across from Garfield Elementary with Head Start. From the outside it's nothing short of plain, but the true treasures lie within. Crystal Snyder and Misty Dial are in charge of the 3-6 year, room.

The pair are great with children. Crystal says that's because SHE and Misty are really just big kids themselves.

As if supervising, teaching, entertaining and encouraging a room full of kids isn't challenging enough, they decided it would be a great idea to get the kids involved in sending care packages to deployed soldiers.

Misty who's husband Keith is stationed at Fort Riley, helped the two in their new endeavor. He contacted his units FRG, a group that assists family members who's spouses have deployed. Misty and Crystal requested ten soldiers names and contact information, as that would give each child in their room a soldier. They also requested the soldiers who were single or didn't get much mail from home.

The list of soldiers was comprised of those ranking from Private to Major.

Crystal and Misty started in November of 2008, with their first care packages due to arrive before the Christmas holiday.

The two went to some local businesses and asked for any donations that they could send in the packages. Amongst the things they collected were basic necessities like toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, razors and lip balm. They also included a few goodies like beef jerky and packets of flavoring to add to bottled water.

As a special activity for the soldiers the kids made them Christmas ornaments. The kids also helped by sending pictures they had made. A general letter of introduction and well wishes was included in each box.

Their fellow co-workers at the Child Care Center as well as the employees of Head Start covered the cost of shipping.

The packages arrived early in December to the surprise of the ten soldiers. As thank you's were returned from Iraq the soldiers main responses were that of great appreciation and delight that a bunch of kids in a daycare in Clay Center, Kansas, cared enough about them to send them goodies from home (The States).

One child received a personal "thank you" along with a military "Big Red One" coin, as well as a trinket bracelet from her soldier. The soldier, a major, expressed his as well as his fellow soldiers gratitude. He told the class that they had shared some of their goodies with their fellow comrades and even some Iraqi children. Ironically the soldiers mission under HHC, Headquarters Company is helping to build schools for the Iraqi children.

The class at Clay County Child Care was so excited with the responses. A few of the children in the class have a parent who is in the Army and due to deploy later this year. The responses were especially meaningful to these young kids who realized they too could expect to get a response from their parent when they too deployed.

Spurred by the friendship they were establishing, and the lessons Misty and Crystal were sharing with the kids about the soldiers, the children's curiosity grew and the questions came. "Where do they sleep?" "What do they eat?" "What do they do?", and "How did they get there?"

The children were truly interested in understanding the daily lives of the soldiers. One student even wondered "Where do they go to the bathroom?"

Around Valentine's Day, the two once again rallied the kids in special projects. Those packages included more artwork from the children as well as lots of Valentines candy for the soldiers and their comrades.

Misty and Crystal decided not to ask for any help from area businesses and decided it would be easier to personally fund the packages and all their contents. The daycare employees did pitch in once again to fund the shipping costs of the packages.

True to their generosity and dedication Misty, Crystal and the children of room 3-6, have just finished yet another round of packages to "their soldiers" as the children refer to them.

This time packages included such items as pens, pencils, puzzle books, razors, lip balm, wipes, hand sanitizer. They two baked tons of homemade cookies and other goodies were added to each box. Once again the children had special projects they were sending "their soldiers".

They made each soldier a tee-shirt with their hand prints, first names and the date in red, white and blue. They made picture collages along with special messages from each child.

Amongst all the great items placed in each and every package, was one small and precious project that truly touched my heart.

"It's a Paper Hug," one child explained, eager to show her creation: carefully traced and cut out replica of her hands connected by a piece of yarn, measuring the exact length of her outstretched arms and placed between each cut out hand print.

Whenever placed around "their soldier's" shoulders, the children would be giving them a special "paper hug" from Clay Center, Kansas.

Misty and Crystal, along with each child in room 3-6, say they've truly enjoyed the mission and plan to continue corresponding with this group of soldiers until their return sometime in June. They also plan on continuing this special call with yet another group of soldiers from Fort Riley who are due to deploy later this fall.

What a true treasure instilling in these young hearts the thrill of giving, and thinking of others so far from their little worlds--teaching them that they can positively impact someone in such little and thoughtful ways.

Anyone interested in donating to the Clay County Child Care's care packages to soldiers, or in starting a similar project with their group or family, can contact either Misty Dial or Crystal Snyder at Clay County Child Care, 785-632-2195.

Newstex ID: 34675272