By Jolene FarleyHills-Beaver Creek Elementary students and their families are doing their part to support American troops in Iraq.Students collected enough goods to fill 17 boxes to send to American troops. "Our students were interested and concerned about what was happening in Iraq," third-grade teacher Michele Baker said. "We talked about different ways that they could make a difference," she said. "They decided to write letters to the soldiers and provide them with items they couldn’t get," she said. "Each student wrote letters to Dear Friend or Dear Soldier," said Baker.A request for items was sent home with students about three weeks ago. Baby wipes, Chap Stick, hard candy, pens, paper cookies and chips in hard containers are items on the troop wish list.The response was overwhelming, according to Baker. One student went shopping with her family and each family member chose an item to send to Iraq. The student used her own money to purchase the items. The care packages will be sent to Baker’s cousin, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Ben Siegfried, for distribution to the men in his battalion. He is stationed at An Nasiriyah, Iraq, near Baghdad with a battalion of combat engineers who build bridges and take care of mines. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, North Carolina, before leaving for Iraq in mid-January. The only contact his family has had with him is through the mail, which takes almost two weeks to reach its destination. The family hasn’t received a letter since March 21.Baker said her cousin has been advised the packages are coming in letters sent by relatives, but she hasn’t received a response back yet. In previous letters to his family, Siegfried wrote about local people that cook and do laundry for the soldiers. He mentioned it is stressful because soldiers aren’t certain if they are friends or enemies.He also mentioned witnessing huge explosions near Baghdad. It really made him realize how big and serious the war effort is, according to Baker. "He made the comment, ‘This is definitely war,’" she said. Siegfried will remain in Iraq indefinitely as a peacekeeper, according to Baker.
