Holiday Cards for the Troops

Sending packages to the troops for the holidays is a wonderful way to share the spirit of the season. If you are unable to send packages, however, there are also programs available for sending cards. Last year I wrote out over one hundred cards, both at Christmas and Valentine's Day, for the Red Cross and VA hospitals' card programs.
Below you will find information on how you can brighten the holidays of both deployed and wounded soldiers. Thanks to my friend Deni in California for posting this information on anysoldier.com and Facebook. Please follow all the instructions carefully so your cards meet security requirements.
Red Cross "Holiday Mail for Heroes"
"The American Red Cross again will sponsor a national "Holiday Mail for Heroes" campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to service members, veterans, and their families in the United States and abroad.
The card campaign includes those working and receiving care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. People shouldn't send cards to Walter Reed unless they are addressed to a specific wounded warrior. Due to security restrictions, Walter Reed cannot accept generic mail addressed to "A Recovering Soldier" or "Any Soldier." In past years, hundreds of cards were returned to senders because of generic addresses, many sent in response to misleading e-mails. The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. will partner for the third year to provide screening of all mail sent to the special P.O. Box address. Cards can be sent starting November 9 and postmarked no later than December 7 to reach service members recovering at Walter Reed. "
Please don’t forget to follow these guidelines while preparing your holiday greetings.
DO...
--Sign all cards
--Entitle cards “Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran”
--Send holiday-neutral cards rather than those with religious themes
--Limit cards to 15 per person or 50 for school class or business group
--Bundle groups of cards in single, large envelopes
DON'T...
--Send letters
--Include personal information such as home or email addresses
--Use glitter – excessive amounts can aggravate health issues of wounded recipients
--Include inserts of any kind as they must be removed in the screening process
Sending cards would be an excellent project for school classes, service organizations, youth groups, and others who are looking to make a real difference this holiday season.
Please remember those who are sacrificing so much on our behalf, and those who face long recoveries from their war-related injuries. Their lives will never be the same...let's show them we care.