So Minnesota: ‘Sammie Backers’ from Anoka High School supported the troops in WWI

One group of high school students came together to support our troops during World War I.

As the war began,  students at Anoka High School wanted to do their part to help those from Anoka fighting for our country.

“It shows the dedication of these students coming together saying, ‘I’m going to take care of people in my community,’” Sara Given with the Anoka County Historical Society said.

A group was organized to send care packages to all the boys in the service who been students at Anoka High School.

“They decided we are going to create this master list of all of the alumni from our school, and we’re going to make sure they have stuff in the mail,” Given said. “We’re going to send them little pieces of home.”

The group became known as the ‘Sammie Backers.’

“If you think Sammy, Uncle Sam, Uncle Sam’s boys, these were the students backing Uncle Sam’s boys,” Given said 

For two years, Sammie Backers sent out nearly 5,000 care packages to Anoka service members. Letters from the service members sent back to the students show their appreciation. 

“They really thanked them for the letters,” Given said. “These little pieces of home.”