Nine-year-old Ashley Pechinski pointed to a fresh autograph on an Army National Guard lanyard she got while on vacation.

The signature came from U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class David Silva, who visited Ashley and her third-grade classmates at Ore Valley Elementary School on Friday.

"I think it's really cool and awesome because I've never met a real person who worked in the
Army before," Ashley said.

Silva has been the kids' pen pal since the beginning of the school year. The Hinesville, Ga., resident recently returned from his third deployment to Iraq.

He said the letters and cards the students sent him while he was overseas helped boost morale for him and other soldiers.

"It puts everything back into perspective," he said

Ore Valley Elementary teachers aide Kerri Haines, left, and kindergarten teacher Wiley Cramer dance and sing the 1976 hit 'Car Wash' during a fundraiser on a rainy Friday afternoon. The event was to raise funds for the family of Christian Torres, an Ore Valley third-grader who recently was seriously injured in a crash in South Carolina. (Daily Record/Sunday News - Jason Plotkin)
of the students' writings. "It just sort of takes your mind off of what's going on over there. . . . We'd all laugh at some of the things they'd write."

Many of the notes asked Silva about his favorite animal and
what he likes to eat.

"I asked him if he had any desserts," said Varsha Kalakuntla, 8.

"It's cool because my dad was a soldier," said Patrick Jacobson, 9, of Silva's visit. "Soldiers are special because they protect our country."

Kelly McKinsey, the class's teacher, organized a pizza party for Silva and the students. Desks were decorated with mini U.S. flags, and a banner that the kids colored with crayons to look like military camouflage hung outside the classroom.

Later Friday afternoon, Silva planned to help the kids with a car wash fundraiser for Christian Torres, a third-grader in a different class at the school who recently had to have his legs amputated after he and his family were in a car crash while in South Carolina to visit relatives.

Christian is recovering in a hospital in Georgia, said Marjie Whye, a guidance counselor at the school. His three younger siblings were also injured in the crash but have since returned to school, she said.

"They're doing amazingly well," she said. "Christian is having intensive rehabilitation and is being fitted for prosthetics."

She said students and staff at Ore Valley want to help Christian and his family heal.

"It's really affected the school," she said.

TO HELP

Students and staff at Ore Valley Elementary School are raising money to help Christian Torres and his family. Christian had to have his legs amputated recently after a car crash he and his family were in while visiting relatives in South Carolina.

Donations for the Torres family may be sent to Ore Valley Elementary, Attention: Marjie Whye, 2620 Springwood Road, York 17402.