Published: November 07, 2009 11:17 pm         

Send ‘touch of home’ card to service members

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are teaming up to deliver holiday cards to service members, their families and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season.

Between now and Dec. 7, the public can send a “touch of home” through holiday cards that contain messages of cheer and appreciation. Cards will then be screened, sorted and boxed for delivery by hundreds of Red Cross volunteers.

“One holiday card is all it takes to make a difference in the life of the millions of active-duty military men and women, veterans and family members,” said Mary Beth Jensen, Military Services Coordinator for the Wabash Valley Chapter. “The American Red Cross serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance each day. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces. And, 2,000 of the cards will be returned to the Wabash Valley Chapter for distribution to local military families and veterans.”

The Wabash Valley Chapter will collect cards from the public on Veterans Day at three Wabash Valley locations:

n 4 to 7 p.m. at the chapter’s Terre Haute headquarters at 700 S. Third St.;

n 3 to 6 p.m. at the Chapter’s Greencastle office in the back of the Courthouse Annex;

n 3 to 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Reed Fellowship Hall in Paris, Ill.

These will be the only times that cards can be brought to the local Red Cross.

Before and after Veterans Day, address and send cards directly to Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456. All cards must be postmarked before Dec. 7.

Card guidelines: Ensure that all cards are signed; use Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran (Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.); limit the number of cards to 15 from any one person or 50 from any one school class, business or group. Please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope. Do not send letters or include e-mail or home addresses on the cards. Do not send cards with excessive amounts of glitter because cards may be received by wounded service members and veterans in hospitals and large quantities of glitter could aggravate existing health problems. Also, do not include inserts of any kind, including photos.

Visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail for a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices on the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Visit www.wabashvalleyredcross.org to learn more about Wabash Valley Chapter Services to the Armed Forces.