The holiday spirit will continue next month, when the Smiths come to town with a truckload of ice cream sandwiches — enough for every kid in school to take home a box.

With no electricity in many isolated homes, "they'll have to eat them as soon as they hop on the bus," says Linda, laughing. "That ought to be one interesting bus ride."

A few stomachaches will be a small price to pay, she says, for all the smiles she saw before Christmas vacation. "Knowing that people care will touch these students' lives in other ways," says Linda. "Maybe they'll work harder in school or do something nice for somebody else. That's the real benefit."

Linda Keams can be reached at keams@sanjuanschools.org. She also has a Web site at www.gomyson.com.

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