A simple thank you can go a long way. As the wildfires continue to spread in Southern California, students in Philadelphia are expressing their thanks by putting pencil to paper. NBC10 was there as elementary school students at Franklin Towne Charter made heartfelt letters to the heroes they don’t even know. Third-grade teacher Holly Greene was inspired with the idea after reading stories to her students. One story incorporated letter writing, and the other shared a firefighting tale. California Wildfires Jan 19 Why are lone homes left standing after the fires? It's not entirely luck California Wildfires Jan 18 California wildfires: What we know about LA-area fires, what caused them, who is affected and more “Why don’t I make this relevant, emotional hook, decided to have them write firefighters in LA,” said Greene. To make the lesson more tangible to the students, members of the Philadelphia Fire Department also stopped by to meet with them. The students were able to thank the local firefighters for their service to the city. The letters are now being shipped in a special postal service box and delivered to someone waiting on the other side of the country. Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.