CARRSVILLE
They came. They saw. They packaged.

On Tuesday afternoon, the first- and second-grade Bulldogs of Carrsville Elementary School participated in putting candies, crackers, toiletries, Tidewater News calendars and even handwritten letters and drawings in exactly 28 boxes. These will quickly make their way to a post office where they will be shipped in time to servicemen and women to arrive in time for Christmas.

Sandy Jones, a teacher at Carrsville Elementary, said this was the second year the school has done this project. Last year the goal was for the first-graders to fill three boxes, but they collected enough for 10.

“The kids spent their own money,” Jones said. “It’s really neat. They really got into it.

“It taught them a lot. They’ve been learning about giving. They put a lot of time and heart into it.”

The students’ participation, she added, originally comes at the request of Brenda Redd, who approached the school in 2013.

Redd said that the Courtland Ruritan Club, which is the sponsor, is paying for the postage as part of its community project.

Among the many children who contributed were: Nickolas Lopez, 6; Autumn Watson, 7; Juliannah Rodriguez, 8; Yohan Dotte, 6; Ethan Jones, 6; and Kimberly “Kimmie” Fridley, 6. Nickolas helped put items in the boxes, Autumn made drawings, Yohan sent Snickers, Ethan brought crackers, and Kimmie included chocolate-covered blueberries, “Because they’re good and yummy.”