Each year our wonderful Funnies readers help with a very cool Easter project. I'm asking you to be a part - either with your family, church, youth group, school, etc. It can make a significant impact on those who participate!

On the day before Easter my family meets up with many other folks and visit the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (Boot Camp) here in San Diego. We deliver homemade baked goods and patriotic fabric bags full of goodies to each of the sick and injured Marine recruits on base. Our goal is to bring cheer to these special recruits on Easter weekend and to show them how much we support them and stand behind their determination to become a United States Marine.

You can't believe what this does for these guys. They wake up that morning to what will most likely be just another boring day as they wait to heal and return to training or be sent home. When we show up with big smiles and hugs, well, the transformation is amazing.

Check out photos from last year's visit.

Here are comments from recruits and their families about this project.

You can be BIG part of that impact - in a very simple way!

These patriotic stockings are filled with items that have been donated from various sources. The recruits receive phone cards, envelopes, stamps, note pads, and pens. But the important gift in this stocking is a bundle of letters that we collect from children all over the country. Last year each recruit had 12 letters in their stocking. That's over 8,000 letters!

Would you please help by collecting letters and/or drawings from children of all ages? The subject can be patriotic, Easter wishes, or even a simple thank you for serving our county. It can be from schools (public or private), Sunday schools, clubs, and just your own kids. (Adults can send letters, too.)

And please email or Facebook this page with your friends and family, so we can get more folks in on the fun!

Maybe your school, church or organization can make this an Easter/patriotic project? Following are simple guidelines for the letters:

- Notes, letter, pictures and cards accepted. No bigger than 8x10 letter size.
- Salutation should be "Dear Recruit"
- Send all the letters/drawings in one package to the address below.
- NO personal return addresses.
- Mark the back of each note with a classroom sticker or stamp with the school address, if they desire possible responses from recruits.
- We ask that you not use glitter.

Please mail your letters by April 4, 2011 to the following address:

Marine Moms Online Holiday Project
C/o Sue Denessen
2744 Greyling Dr
San Diego, CA 92123-2837

Thanks in advance for your support of our project. We can make the Easter season just a little better for these recruits, who SO desire to serve our country.

Thanks!
Mikey