Lexington school honors soldiers with cards
At this time of year, when everyone reflects on how the year 2010 has been on a personal level, we should also think about our soldiers overseas and on this soil who have given their time, efforts and, unfortunately, their lives to sustain the freedom of this country.
Lexington International Baccalaureate Middle School has taken that approach to a different level. For the second consecutive year, Mrs. Sherry Henon, a Reading teacher at Lexington, has involved her students in the Wounded Warrior Care Program at Fort Campbell, Ky.
This year, teachers, staff, students as well as others at Lexington began by purchasing boxes of winter greeting cards. From September until the third week in November, the Reading students from grades 6, 7 and 8 -including many Beach children who attend the middle school after a successful start at Beach Elementary- decorated the greeting cards with pictures and words of encouragement to the soldiers.
On Nov. 22, Mrs. Henon personally delivered the cards to Major Moyer and Lieutenant Colonel Jarvis, the commanders involved in the Wounded Warrior Program on the Fort Campbell base. The two men consequently distributed the cards. Lexington Middle received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Wounded Warrior Care Program.
“This is to honor them with respect and to tell them that we love them,” said Henon. “After the students do this project, they do a reflective piece, which is usually about five paragraphs, and I hand deliver the best one and read it before I give the presentation of the cards to Major Moyer and Lieutenant Colonel Jarvis.”
This year, Henon transported 1,500 cheery messages to Fort Campbell to “give hope to these brave men and women, who are physically and mentally wounded from the war in Afghanistan.” The message is loud and clear and heard.
“We want to take the soldiers’ minds off what condition they are in,” she said.
Henon became involved in the good nature work through her sister, who is a case manager nurse on the base.
“She takes care of these soldiers,” said the Lexington Reading teacher. “The majority of the soldiers are between ages 18-30 with missing limbs and other body parts and deal with psychological mental problems”
Henon said the drawings on the cards are from a wide spectrum, including the Statue of Liberty to an American eagle to peace signs to soldiers in camouflage hats all the way to pictures of Santa Claus lying on the beach with a swimsuit on.
“We know our safety from terrorists is because of them,” she said. “We wanted to express our appreciation to the soldiers for giving us our freedom.”