Red-Letter Day at Camp Pendleton

After reaching her goal of 1.4 million letters, the 16-year-old founder of a writing campaign to thank American troops delivered some of them to Camp Pendleton on Thursday and planned to establish writing clubs nationwide to distribute more letters.

Inspired by her father to collect 1 million letters, Shauna Fleming of Orange started A Million Thanks a year ago. Soon, Shauna got her classmates at Lutheran High School on board. By November, the teen presented the millionth letter to President Bush.

On Thursday, Shauna and 33 classmates delivered roughly 1,000 letters to Marines at Camp Pendleton.

“There’s just so much support from America, and people were responding so well that I just want to give everyone the chance to write,” the sophomore said.

Framed lithographs of the 1.4-millionth letter, written by a 10-year-old Dallas girl, were presented to representatives from several military branches, including the Air Force and the Army. The number is equal to the number of service members currently serving in the U.S. armed forces. The original letter will be sent to Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Shauna said.

During the visit, students talked with the Marines about sports and serving in Iraq.

“It’s really cool to be next to a Marine,” said freshman Justin Winters, 15, who was talking to Cpl. Steve Martinez, 21. Justin said he planned to join after high school.

Martinez, who was one of 50 Marines from the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division FMF, said, “Just to know someone is out there thinking about us kind of makes you feel good inside.”

The event was part of the school’s service outreach day, on which students perform community service through nonprofit organizations from Orange County to San Diego.

The high school plans to adopt the Marine unit and keep in touch through letters and care packages of CDs and DVDs.

The e-mails and letters Shauna regularly receives from grateful military men and women motivate her to continue the campaign, she said.

“To be able to see the reaction on their faces ... things like this, seeing how much it means to them is what keeps this going. It’s what they love,” she said.

Disappointed that her father’s Valentines for Troops project was postponed last year, Shauna started a campaign of her own. She launched the project in May 2004 during National Military Appreciation Month.

Her organization receives 1,000 to 10,000 letters weekly, which are read and sorted by classmates. Donations from local businesses help pay for shipping the letters to Iraq and elsewhere. The letters arrive from around the globe. Drawings from 2-year-olds have been sent, and World War II veterans have shared war stories. Her efforts have garnered national attention. Last month, her book, “A Million Thanks,” chronicling the campaign, was released.

In between schoolwork, letter writing and theater practice, the teen enjoys going to the movies with friends and practicing taekwondo. Shauna said she hadn’t thought much about college yet but would like to pursue a career in the media, acting or motivational speaking.

“I love telling people my story and giving other people encouragement,” she said.

Shauna said she hoped that by spreading the project to schools nationwide she could encourage others “to make a difference” and reach her new goal of 2 million letters.

High school students in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland have expressed interest through e-mail, she said. She plans to visit a school in Kansas next school year to help set up a letter-writing club like the one at her school.

“This is so near and dear to my heart....It’s just something I feel is very important, and we’re just going to keep on going,” she said.