GALWAY–Recently students in several classes made holiday cards to send to NAVY sailors aboard The Boxer and The USS Truman.

Michele Geissler, the mother of a 2012 Galway graduate, is a member of a support group for mothers that will not see their sons during the December holiday season.  She contacted Galway teachers to request that students make cards by November 2nd that can then be delivered to the NAVY boats.  Adviser Ms. Mierzwa and members of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) volunteered to take care of the collecting and prepping of the cards from individual classrooms.  In addition to the cards created by Ms. Mierzwa’s studio art classes,  students in Mrs. Decker’s, Mrs. Marshall’s, Miss Reynolds’s, Mrs. DeLuca’s, Mrs. Foust’s and Mrs. McDonald’s classes have also created cards.  Members of NHS stayed after Thursday, October 24th to craft cards.  Mrs. Prehn and Mrs. DesPres asked their daughters’ Brownie troops to make cards as well. 

Mrs. Geissler’s son Stephen is currently stationed in Paris Island, South Carolina and cares for sick soldiers in a military hospital.  She considers herself fortunate her son isn’t so far away especially as the holidays approach but she knows that is not the case or everyone: “Many soldiers have not been home for months and being away for the holidays seems even more difficult.  Receiving these cards will make Christmas special for them.”  She is hoping to send words of encouragement and thank the men and women for their service.  Students have included jokes, pop-up illustrations, and uplifting thoughts in hopes of making the sailors feel less alone out there and maybe even make them smile or laugh.

As of today, 313 cards have been edited, boxed and counted by SADD!   Students who have not had the opportunity to make a card but would like to need to do so by tomorrow, Octobere 25th so  SADD can have them ready for the November 2nd pick-up date.  See Ms. Mierzwa to pass your card along.