The McCandless Hall Council "Letters to Troops" project aims to boost moral for the Alpha Company spending this holiday season in Iraq by having Saint Mary's students write letters to the 66 troops. "It's great for us to realize there are so many Americans over there fighting that will be gone during the holiday season," McCandless Hall vice president Jennifer Pillar said. "They should know we are supporting them."According to McCandless Hall director Christine Artz, the idea originated as a service project for the hall."We thought is would be a nice moral booster for the troops to get mail," she said. Through the hall project, the council already sent the company 19 letters on Nov. 9, Artz said. The community's positive reaction to the project spurred the council to open it to the entire campus."I was very impressed that the women here took the time to sit down and write such nice, thick letters," Artz said.Monday evening the council held the first all-campus event to create cards and letters for the troops, Pillar said. The evening generated 25 Christmas cards. Artz, whose boyfriend is commander of the all-male Alpha Company, has been in contact with the company since they received the first letters. The letters are distributed around the camp before being posted for all to see, she said. Alpha Company troops plan to respond to the students to show their appreciation, Artz said.The council has placed folders at each residence hall's front desk to collect additional cards. Guidelines for sending cards are also in the folders. Cards will be collected until Dec. 7. "We all know how excited we are to get mail in college," Pillar said. "Just think how excited troops are to get it."
