For some people the war in Iraq is an event seen in stories and pictures. For Westmoreland County singer/songwriter Mary Deschamps it became a lot more personal when her nephew began serving as a soldier there in September.

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Ms. Deschamps wanted to send him a special Christmas message, so she wrote a song, "When You Come Home."

The tune was included on a compilation CD by local artists and she was invited to perform it Nov. 25 at a benefit for the Casino Theatre in Vandergrift.

She wanted to broaden the presentation "for the families and friends of loved one's who are or were in the military," she said. So she began collecting pictures of soldiers in Iraq and pictures of veterans from WWII, the Korean War and other conflicts.

She was helped by Will Millheim, an Iraq vet whose children take music lesson from Ms. Deschamps. Mr. Millheim's friend Mark Russak, a vet from Michigan, contributed the bulk of the photos from his tour of duty in Iraq. One picture shows six men who later lost their lives.

She supplemented the overseas pictures with photos of her own from a Veteran's Day observance in Leechburg.

Ms. Deschamps said she was surprised at the emotional response she received when the pictures and music were presented together at the Casino Theater. "It was dark and I could see the white Kleenexes going in the audience," she said.

Based on that reaction, Ms. Deschamps offered to share this presentation with the Post-Gazette, so it could reach a wider audience.

She hopes that Internet audience will include her nephew, Samuel Fischer, who is still stationed in Iraq with Troop 298 of the Pennsylvania National Guard.