Soldiers at the Fort Carson Warrior Transition Unit received a show of thanks Wednesday that “sings your praises,” said a representative of the Daniels Fund.

Scott Southworth, of the Daniels Fund, led a presentation in which more than 500 copies of a book entitled “Because of You …” were given to the unit. The book, which will be given to soldiers, contains 90 letters of gratitude written by recipients of 2012 Daniels Scholarships.

“It’s nice to know that somebody other than your direct family members is actually thinking about you,” said Sgt. Mark Stang, who is in the unit recovering from torn ligaments in his knee, an injury that happened while he was deployed in Qatar.

“We’re still there,” Stang said, “even if you don’t see us on the news every day.”

The book, containing letters in the students’ own handwriting, was part of the scholarship’s community outreach project in June. There are 250 Daniels scholars each year from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico.

Lamar High School graduate Gabrielle Hammer, 18, was one of the 2012 scholars whose letters were chosen for “Because of You …” Hammer read her letter Wednesday to the soldiers gathered at the Soldier Family Assistance Center on Fort Carson.

“When I found out this was our project, I was really excited about it,” said Hammer, who is taking socio-legal studies at the University of Denver. “The fact that these people are fighting for our freedom, and seek to do so, I think we should recognize that and show our appreciation.”

Hammer said she was raised to admire members of the military.  She said the entire community of Lamar has “great regard for anyone in the armed forces” and when kids at Lamar High School graduate and join the military, they get a lot of recognition.

Southworth was joined by Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards and Brig. Gen. Darsie Rogers during the presentation of the book. Edwards is the Adjutant General of the Colorado National Guard and a 1973 graduate of the Air Force Academy. Rogers serves as deputy commander of the 4th Infrantry Division at Fort Carson.

The Daniels Fund was founded by Bill Daniels, a Navy combat pilot during World War II.

Daniels was an entrepreur in Denver and died in 2000. The fund was established to “provide opportunities in order to fulfill our collective potential,” according to the organization’s mission statement.

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Contact Matt Steiner at 636-0362 or follow him on Twitter @gazsteiner.

Gabrielle Hammer, a freshman at the University of Denver majoring in law, signs a copy of the “Because of You …” collection of letters for Maj. Angela Jackson-Butler from Fort Carson Army Base. Photo by PETER DROEGE, THE DANIELS FUND

Staff Sgt. Steve Wells reads letters to soldiers in “Because of you …” More than 500 copies of the book, containing letters of gratitude from college students, were given to soldiers at Fort Carson on Wednesday. Photo by MATT STEINER, THE GAZETTE

Scott Southworth, of the Daniels Fund, addresses Fort Carson soldiers Wednesday at the Army post’s Soldier Family Assistance Center. Southworth was at Carson to present a book containing 90 letters written by college scholarship recipients, thanking wound Photo by MATT STEINER, THE GAZETTE