Lander Kindergarten Student Sends Holiday Cards to Troops

As the daughter of a New York City fireman, resident Nancy Puhalla taught her children to be respectful of the people who protect them.

"Soldiers don't get what they deserve when they come home," she said. "When we see them, we always say thank you for keeping us safe. It's a respect thing."

Part of their way of showing appreciation has been sending letters to soldiers overseas through the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Nancy said she usually writes out cards for her daughters to sign but this year Ivy, 5, wanted to do more.

"She said, I want to do this. She kept doing more and more. She did 33 this year," Nancy Puhalla said.

Ivy, a kindergarten student at , said she wanted to send the cards to cheer up soldiers who can't be with their families.

"I made them cards because they're not here for Christmas," she said.

Ivy decorated the cards, drawing Christmas trees, ornaments, presents and other symbols of the holiday season.

"I like a lot of Christmas things," Ivy said.