St. Joseph High School teacher Megan Morrow leads her students not only in drawing and sculpting but in the art of community service.
Teens at the Harrison school put their talents to use crafting Christmas cards to be shipped to troops deployed overseas.
“I did a similar project when I was in high school, and I kind of wanted to continue it with my students,” said Morrow, a 2019 Highlands grad.
The cards are among several local efforts to ensure military members are not forgotten during the holidays.
Members of the Oakmont Lions Club stuffed stockings full of goodies including candy bars and cheese crackers that will travel the globe.
Parishioners at Zion Lutheran Church in Penn Hills did a similar project, packing treats to be shipped to troops through a group called Military Connections in Plum.
“People want to give back, they want to be involved, especially when it’s for the military,” Pastor Martha McCreight said.
She has been with the church, along Frankstown Road, since 2018. The congregation has an affinity for military outreach because of a former pastor who served in the Air Force and a longtime parishioner who served in World War II.
“When we put out a need, people give over and above,” McCreight said. “There’s a pride in giving back but especially when it’s for those who fight for our freedom.”
Members of Zion gathered last week to fill 30 hand-knitted stockings with grab-and-go snacks such as granola bars, beef jerky and candy. The youngest members of the church got in on the act of kindness by drawing Christmas cards to be included.
It is the first year the church has participated, and McCreight wasn’t sure how many items would be donated.
“Sure enough, we got 30 grocery bags full of stuff,” she said. “We had more than enough to fill the stockings, so we donated the rest.”
Morrow said her students in ninth through 12th grades sculpted keychains and ornaments and created cards to be sent through the United Soldiers and Sailors of America. The nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., spends three months sifting and boxing cards that are sent to bases around the world.
A definite morale-booster, the cards are expensive to ship in bulk. According to the group’s website, it costs about $45 to mail 200 cards. Last year, they mailed tens of thousands.
Morrow of Harrison said her classes created about 100 items to help brighten the holidays for troops.
“I think it helps teach the kids gratitude,” she said. “It’s the time of year to think less about themselves and more about others.”
Sophomore Mattalie Bayne, 15, said it’s nice to give back.
“They might not have anything else on Christmas,” she said.
Classmate Miley Norris, 16, said the project prompted her to think about the men and women being away from home.
“It helped me appreciate more what they’re doing,” she said.
In Oakmont, the Lions Club has been participating in Christmas military collections for years.
Vice President Molly Dinnin-Haines said the project aligns perfectly with the club’s motto: “We serve.”
“It’s important to us to know the military is supported,” she said.
Dinnin-Haines said a group of about 10 members turned the work into festivities and stuffed about 50 stockings full of crackers, protein bars and other hand-held snacks.
The club paid for the items to fill the stockings, which were provided by Military Connections along Tionesta Drive in Plum.
Founder Summer Tissue said the volunteer-driven group is in its 21st year.
She said being away from home is difficult for service members and her group aims to send 3,000 stockings. Volunteers are in the midst of massive holiday shipments before Thanksgiving, Tissue said.
Dinnin-Haines said it is an effort to be proud of.
“We’re happy to do it because of everything the troops do for us,” she said.