The tribe visits the troops

Elia Powers

It has become a tradition for a group of young Newport Beach

residents to visit Camp Pendleton each spring.

Thirty tribes from Indian Princess, an Orange County group that

promotes father-daughter bonding, annually visit the Marine base to

greet troops who are stationed in Southern California or who are back

temporarily from serving abroad.

Usually, it’s the sound of the girls’ voices that brings cheer to

active-duty Marines. This year, some of the young visitors put their

feelings in print.

The “Big Foot” tribe, comprising 5- to 10-year-old Newport Beach

residents, greeted two Honor Guards with handshakes and handwritten

letters that expressed gratitude for the Marines’ service.

“Dear soldiers, thank you for saving our freedom for our country

and we pray for you every night. From Rachel,” wrote Big Foot member

Rachel Kraushaar, 9, a third-grader at Mariners Christian School in

Costa Mesa. She decorated her card by drawing a picture of an

American flag.

Last year, when Rachel and her friends visited the Marine base,

they heard stories from the troops about their service in Iraq. Most

had served in the war, and many were scheduled to return.

Rachel’s father, Jim Kraushaar, told his daughter and the rest of

the troop how much the visit means to the Marines.

“I said, ‘these are the guys we pray for every night,’ ” he said.

“My daughter and I started talking about it, and she said, ‘Dad, why

don’t we just write some thank-you notes?’ ”

On this year’s trip May 21, Rachel and 10-year-old Delaney Pouch

presented a collection of original letters that were dispersed to

Marines going back Iraq.

According to Kraushaar, the girls had similar messages but found

different ways to express their gratitude.

“I was really proud and excited because I was representing my

troop,” said Delaney, a fifth-grade student at Anderson Elementary

School in Newport Beach. “I felt really good about that.”

She said she spent about 30 minutes writing the letter alongside

her friends in the Big Foot tribe.

“It was a natural thing,” Kraushaar said. “These guys are doing a

tremendous job ... It’s hard for a little one to realize what happens

in these soldiers’ lives. It doesn’t reach home until you are there

in person.”