SUDBURY -- Students at Marymount Academy in Greater Sudbury are honouring Canadian Armed Forces serving overseas this Christmas by sending them 3,500 Christmas cards.

In a news release Friday, the school said the goal was to share was Christmas is all about: spreading joy and love to everyone.

"While this holiday season will be different with COVID-19, our Canadian Forces are always putting themselves in harm’s way to ensure we can spend the holidays with our families," Marymount said. "Creating Christmas cards for the Canadian Armed Forces is something we did as a school to share the holiday spirit with them. We are forever grateful for their sacrifices and service."

Students have been busy making cards over the last two weeks for soldiers facing a difficult holiday season far from home.

"Christmas is a time when you want to be surrounded by love and family," the school said. "For the Canadian troops overseas, this must be a very difficult time and although we can’t all understand, we can empathize and help support in any way possible."

The cards will be mailed out Dec. 4 to the military headquarters in Belleville, where they will be then forwarded to different locations around the world where Canadian troops are stationed.

“We were truly overwhelmed by the amount of cards students were making," Ms. Gattoni, the teacher who spearheaded the initiative, said in the release. "The beautiful and thoughtful messages and warm wishes they included for the Canadian Forces truly demonstrates what wonderful and caring students we have at Marymount.”