Nearly three years ago, Case Baccio, then a Bucher Elementary third-grade student, planned his first Clear Water for Heroes Fishing Tournament. The event raised funds to send veterans to the annual Warrior Weekend to Remember, an event that honors veterans and is sponsored by Blue Skies for the Good Guys and Gals (BS3G), the nonprofit arm of the Fastrax sky diving team.

About the time Case organized the fishing tournament, he began creating cards to send to veterans. When he entered fifth grade at Landis Run Intermediate School last year, Case asked his homeroom class to join him in making cards. This year, Case approached his math teacher, Kristin Buckwalter, about making cards for veterans to distribute for Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Buckwalter shared the idea with fellow teacher Richard Cavanagh. Cavanagh, who teaches social studies, invited the school's population of 900 students to get involved.

To announce the project, around the middle of October, Cavanagh asked Case to make a video. In the video, Case introduces himself as a sixth-grade student and talks about the fishing tournament he organizes. He notes that he makes cards for veterans each year at this time. "I said, 'It would be great if every (student) could make a card for a veteran,'" Case recalled, adding, "It ignites a spark of hope in the people who get them."

Cavanagh pointed out that in the video Case also told fellow students that cards "put a smile on a veteran's face." "We forget what (veterans) went through at times," said Cavanagh.

By Nov. 10, approximately 600 cards had been drawn, colored, and signed.

Case's mother, Ali Bucher, looked through the cards and admired many of them. "This little girl made a special (heart-shaped) one," she said. "A lot of these kids put a lot of effort into these cards."

Cavanagh explained that the students were given more than paper and crayons when they were asked to do the project. "We talked about what a veteran is and what that means and what it means to veterans to get (cards)," he said.

Case and Bucher delivered some of the cards to the Manheim VFW Post prior to Veterans Day. "A lady came up (to us) crying," recalled Bucher. "She had just lost her nephew, and she thanked Case for what he was doing." Bucher noted that the veterans who received cards at the post were very grateful. "They couldn't believe he did this," she said. In addition to the Manheim Post, Bucher and Case distributed cards at the Ephrata VFW Post, and Case spoke at the Veterans Breakfast Club, which meets in Bird-in-Hand on Nov. 19. Cards were also distributed at Mission BBQ, the Veterans Court in Lancaster, and Paramount Senior Living in Maytown.

Bucher noted that the idea reaped many rewards. "It was so heartwarming," she said. "The kids took the time to do this and Mr. Cavanagh had them take the time to show the importance of veterans. It's something simple that anybody can do to just say, 'thank you.'"

Cavanagh said that he plans to continue the project with Landis Run students next year.