61 ways to start a Christmas letter to a soldier in Iraq

With over 2,340 letters from CNMI schoolchildren and teachers sent out to NMI soldiers currently serving in Iraq, organizers behind the letter-writing effort shared to the community how to start their own letters.

Pacific Star Center for Young Writers director Katharyn Tuten-Puckett, who is one of the organizers of “Project: Holiday Cheer,” said there are 61 basic ways to start a letter to local members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in the Middle East country.

The following are just some of the introductions Tuten-Puckett has suggested: “To Whom It May Concern,” “Hello and Seasons Greetings,” “To the Men and Women Fighting for Freedom,” “To All the Soldiers Serving in Battle,” “My Good Sir,” “Greetings, Hey Soldier!” “ Dear Peacemaker and Soldier from the Islands,” and “Greetings Soldier.”

She said students could also start in the vernacular like the following: “Hafa Adai and Alii from all of us here in the CNMI,” “Hafa Adai Braveheart!” “Hafa Adai and Tirow!” “Hafa Adai Brave Soldier,” “Buenas and Hafa Adai,” and “Hafa Adai and Greetings.”

Tuten-Puckett, Military Veterans Affairs Officer executive officer Ruth Coleman, and Mount Carmel School principal Galvin Deleon Guerrero spearheaded the collation and sorting of the letters Tuesday morning at the Mount Carmel School library together with student volunteers helping out in the project. The letters were all forwarded in the afternoon.

Garapan Elementary School, Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, Kagman Elementary School, San Antonio Elementary School, San Vicente Elementary School, William S. Reyes Elementary School, Hopwood Junior High School, Kagman High School, and Marianas High School participated in the project.

Private schools such as the Calvary Christian Academy, Grace Christian Academy, Mount Carmel School, Northern Marianas Academy, Saipan Community School, and Whispering Palms also participated in the project.

Out of over 600 NMI soldiers currently in active duty, the letters were sent to only 188 addresses the organizers gathered. The families who still want their loved ones be recognized in the project, they can contact Coleman through the Military and Veterans Affairs Office with tel. no. 664- 2650 or contact Katharyn Tuten-Puckett through email: pacificstarcenter4yw@yahoo.com.

Military and Veterans Affairs Office, VFW Post 3457, and Toyota Microl Corporation co-sponsored the project. The committee thanked the assistance of Sherry Ana Atalig and Mt. Carmel School principal, students, and the library for the collation.