Sentinel students buy holiday gifts for US Marines

SENTINEL, Okla. (AP) _ Some elementary school students in Sentinel are bypassing their annual gift exchange this holiday season to buy gifts for someone else in need. <br/><br/>The third- and fourth-grade

Tuesday, November 23rd 2004, 8:45 am

By: News On 6

SENTINEL, Okla. (AP) _ Some elementary school students in Sentinel are bypassing their annual gift exchange this holiday season to buy gifts for someone else in need.

The third- and fourth-grade students at McMurray Elementary School selected two US Marines at a camp near Fallujah, Iraq.

Teacher Sue Wilson says she's been overwhelmed by the students' generosity.

Spurred by stories of lonely Marines, Wilson's students started corresponding with Lance Corporals Timothy VonRaesfeld of Oklahoma and Ryan Luzzader of Utah.

In time, teacher Beth Camp's fourth-grade students also started writing letters.

Both classes produced a mound of beef jerky, crackers, wet wipes, toothbrushes and dozens of other treats and necessities troops long for in the desert.