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Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009

Houston County students sending letters, cards to troops for holidays

Students at Houston County schools are sending letters and cards to troops in the Middle East and Europe as part of Operation Seasons Greetings.

This marks the 10th year Houston County schools have participated in Operation Seasons Greetings with the Band of the Air Force Reserve. Mary Therese Tebbe, the emcee for Operation Seasons Greetings, and Chief Master Sgt. Jay Willis, the show’s producer, collected the letters and cards from eight system schools Tuesday.

With the tour, Tebbe and Willis will visit troops fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom from the end of November to mid-December, with seven shows in six countries during two weeks.

They will deliver the students’ cards and letters and entertain the troops with performances from the Band of the Air Force Reserve. Several special guest artists also will help deliver the students’ greetings to the troops, including Kid Rock, country music star Jessie James and Carlos Mencia.

“I feel a lot like Santa, only I don’t have a sleigh, I have a Tahoe,” Tebbe said.

The trip will be Tebbe’s 13th overseas tour since 2000.

Describing herself as “Bob Hope in a dress,” Tebbe said she has helped deliver more than 100,000 letters in 10 years.

“Knowing the kids took time out of their schedules goes a lot farther than they realize,” she said.

At Houston County High School, students in the Air Force Junior ROTC program, Family Career and Community Leaders of America and Future Business Leaders of America made letters and wrote cards for the soldiers.

Brian Smagh, 15, a sophomore in the school’s Air Force Junior ROTC program, made a card thanking the soldiers for their service and encourages them to keep up the good work.

“They’re doing a great service to our country, and they should be thanked for it,” Smagh said.

Retired Lt. Col. Judy Jackson, a senior aerospace science instructor at Houston County High School, said the correspondence served to make the students reflect on the soldiers’ sacrifices.

“It’s important for the students to realize the sacrifices that are made,” Jackson said.

“In our mind we’re the only ones fighting, when in essence it’s a team.”

Cards also came from Eagle Springs Elementary, Miller Elementary, Linwood Elementary, Lake Joy Primary, Mossy Creek Middle School, Feagin Mill Middle School and Huntington Middle School.

Willis has been involved with the program since 2001.

Operation Seasons Greetings has improved through the years, Willis said, growing from the program’s single show in 1995.

The musical entertainment and students’ greetings help bring the soldiers cheer during the holiday season.

“We’re bringing a slice of home straight to the troops,” he said.

To contact writer Andrea Castillo, call 256-9751.