“Thank you for everything you do for our country.  You protect my right to get an education and dream big.”

“I really respect what the military does for this country and it goes unnoticed every day.  Ya’ll deserve all the recognition and honor for what you are doing.”

“No matter the trials and tribulations you face, just know that you have the whole student body of Presbyterian College with you and supporting you along with many, many more!”

The quotes above come from some of the 82 handwritten and heartfelt letters sent to members of the armed forces from students at Presbyterian College.

As part of the Dum Vivimus Servimus Day of Service, the Theta Chi fraternity helped to organize a service project called Operation Gratitude.  The project aimed to give back to members of the armed forces by sending letters and care packages to injured veterans and deployed soldiers.

The Rev. Rachel Parsons-Wells, director of Religious Life and Services, came up with the idea of participating in Operation Gratitude and helped Theta Chi get involved.  She believes the letters not only greatly benefit the soldiers receiving them, but also the students who wrote them.

“Asking someone to write a letter to a soldier, makes them stop and think what it must feel like to be in their place.  It creates an opportunity to get to know someone and reach out,” Parsons-Wells said.  “A handwritten letter is so personal, that I think it can connect to someone in a powerful way.

She also believes that the service project embodies the motto of the Presbyterian College, “While we live, we serve.”

“Serving is a way of life,” said Parsons-Wells. “It is how you carry yourself and how you see and understand the lives of people around you.  It is about relationships that change you. Taking a moment to say thank you to someone who is serving or has served in the military does seem like one powerful way to embody our motto.”

Historically, other members of the Presbyterian College community have also held this belief.  During WWII, the then first lady of PC, Lillian Brown, also wrote to soldiers.  She sent letters every two weeks to Blue Hose alumni fighting in the war giving the soldiers news, kind words, and encouragement.  The letters and their responses were then collected and published into a volume entitled “The Bee-Mail Letters” in 1989.  While Theta Chi members did not know about the tradition they worked to continue, sophomore member Thomas Burke is proud of their work.

“The people doing service for our country can never get enough gratitude and support. I think it’s great for PC to do our part and give as much support as we can. I hope this tradition is continued in the future.

For more information about service at PC, contact Rachel Parsons-Wells at reparsons@presby.edu.

Written by Justin Davidson, a freshman biology major from Columbia.