I was teaching in a Synagogue preschool about 22 years ago.  As we were a religious-based teaching staff, we were always looking for ways to get the kids, as young as they were, into community activities.  It was our way for them to perform the mitzvah (good deed) of Tikun Olam (repairing the world).

The United States was engaged in a conflict overseas called Operation Dessert Storm.  Many of our young men and women were overseas and away from home.  What could we do to help?

We decided that writing to service men and women would be fun.  Each class would have a pen pal of sorts.  We would write, but certainly didn’t expect a return letter knowing the circumstances the recipients of our letters may be facing.

My youngest son was enrolled in this program and would go to school with me every day.  It was the best arrangement.  My two older sons would go to school.  I’d be able to get them on to their buses and know they were taken care of.  Then the youngest and I would get in the car and go to his school/my work.  I was home with the youngest well before the older kids got off the bus so was able to be there when they returned.  All this and received a small salary as well!  It was a great opportunity.

So the pre-k class (4 and 5 year olds) my youngest was in, wrote to a Marine who was from Minnesota.  We were given a list of names of men and women and we just randomly selected which class would write to who.

They wrote weekly and even sent a care package of gum and assorted needs that we were told of.

After a few months, Operation Dessert Storm began winding down and our servicemen and women began returning home.

One day, we had a surprise visitor.  He came into our building with a reporter and cameraman from the Star Tribune (our major newspaper publication in Minneapolis).  The brave Marine that my son’s class had written to was coming home and wanted to thank the kids in person for their letters and packages.

On the front page of the Star Tribune the following day was this picture:

Stefan and the Marine

How fun to find this picture on the front page of the newspaper in the morning!  The contrast in size between my son and this brave soldier made for a perfect story and picture for the paper.  The headline read “Marines Return Home”.

I’ll bet my son doesn’t remember this day, but is one memory that lives in my head like it was yesterday, even though he is 26 now…..