It is a club meeting day and the students are sitting at different tables directly outside the library on the patio, writing letters. The students are rather quiet, only breaking the silence now and then to ask a question. Some are handwriting these letters; a few others prefer typing. A young man with blond hair in a baseball cap walks around, making sure that everyone is on task. 

“I think it’s important for students to write to veterans since it keeps the veterans happy and it shows that they’re appreciated,” explains Tim Houser, the president of the Ties for Troops club at Miami Country Day School. The club focuses on bringing recognition in the form of student-made letters to veterans. Students meet once a week to discuss club events and also to write these letters. Ties for Troops is the only club at MCDS that promotes patriotism with a focus on the military.

A majority of student members in Ties for Troops are members of the school football team and also have an affiliation with the military, meaning either they have a family member active in the military or they themselves plan to join in the future.

Students do not focus on any one branch of the military, but seek to reach out to service members of all kinds. The letters are  decorated to make them more festive. It is preferred that the letters be handwritten because it makes the letter appear more personal; however, since there are those whose handwriting is less-than-perfect, some are allowed to use computers.