The kids in Kathryn Campbell's kindergarten class at Millennium Elementary are not entirely sure where Afghanistan is: "Far away" is about the most accurate answer any of them can come up with.

But earlier this year the kids made a special flag for Campbell's husband, William, who is serving in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan with the 8-1 CAV brigade out of Ft. Lewis and though they may not know where exactly he is, they know why.

"To say thank you," said Lakiyah Richardson, 6.

"Thank you for helping," echoed Stephanie Cervantes, 5.

The kids in Campbell's class, along with the school's other kindergartens, made a special flag this fall on a white bed sheet, dipping their hands in red paint to make the stripes.

"We put our hands in paint!" announced Aryeon Alfen-Jack, 5.

The flag also included everyone's name and was sent to Afghanistan as part of a care package that was also filled with letters from other kids in the school.

"I send stuff all the time," Campbell said.

Campbell, who is due with the couple's first child in January, said she wants to let her students know what the soldiers are doing and to remind them they are over there, far from home.

"I think just to let the soldiers know we're thinking of them," she said, adding that the packages and letters also remind those serving that people back home are still thinking of them. "I know my husband really likes to know what's going on."

Included with the flag were letters from other students in other grades, such as Karina Russu, 10, a fifth-grader. Russu said her letter said the soldiers were "really special people" and thanks them for what they are doing.

"They're, like, helping the U.S. and putting their lives at risk," Russu said. "They'll read the letters and feel more like they're at home."

Karl Cruz, 10, also said his letter thanked them for protecting the country and to remind them that people are thinking of them.

"Some of them might feel sad," he said.

One student whose letter contained another personal message was Lana Hauschild, 11, whose father serves in the Navy and is also deployed in the Middle East.

"It's so they get reminded that someone out there actually cares," she said, adding that she is proud of her dad and misses him.

Hauschild also said she thought the flag was cool.

"I hope everyone in the Navy and the whole military is doing a good job and I hope they're safe," she said. "I'll pray for them everyday."

Campbell said her husband and his unit appreciated the package sent from the school.

"They really liked it. They thought it was really cute," she said of the flag, adding that the soldiers were trying to find a place to hang it.

Brigade members even sent back a photo of the group holding up their present.

"They were pretty excited when they realized it was theirs," Campbell said.

Campbell said she hopes the kids remember making the flag and why they sent it.

"I would like them to remember the flag and the reason why they are making it - to say thank you to the soldiers," she said.

With her husband not due back until July, Campbell said further packages are probably on the horizon.

"They had a good time with it," she said. "We'll probably make something else at some point along."

Contact Kent Reporter General assignment reporter Brian Beckley at bbeckley@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5054.

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