Sending HANDMADE BLANK cards to deployed troops for them to send back home to their loved ones. Please be sure to read the card specs to the right.
A good question came in – if you want to write a note inside the cards for the troops, not on a sticky note this is OK. We are changing things up a bit and sending a second set of ‘Thank You’ cards to them troops this year per a great idea from a few supporters this year.
Hope this clarifies things for everyone.
Hello everyone!
Our February mailing turned out to be pretty successful. When I mentioned that I didn’t have many St. Patrick’s Day cards, you all came to the rescue and started making them and we were able to send out a bunch of them after all! I sent out 3500 cards this month. I’d say each box had a good 100 St Patty’s Day cards in each box.
I also got a 1000 envelopes donated from a very faithful card maker! Thank you so much Candy!
And to all of you who sent in postage donations, thank you again for your support! I hope to hear from the state on my non-profit paperwork soon and maybe you can officially start getting a real tax deduction!
I also got a note from Action Envelop that they have changed their name to Envelopes.com so please make a note if you have them saved to your favorites.
One of our next mailings will be for Mother’s Day and Armed Forces day cards. I have decided to switch this up a bit and make the Armed Forces day cards personalized. So please include a note to the soldiers in those cards like you do with the Veteran’s Day cards. I know it’s short notice but a few supporters have mentioned it and I think it’s a great idea so I wanted to start doing this. If you have already sent cards it’s not a problem because I am sure the soldiers have people they also want to send cards out to as well.
If you have any questions at all please feel free to shoot me an email!
Pam
Just a little update before the February 12th deadline. I have only received about 75 St. Patrick’s Day cards (50 of those I have made) out of 2000 cards. So if you haven’t made any cards and plan on sending some in I could really use some of those please! Thanks!
And thank you to those of you that have sent in cards so far. I’ve got a lot of Thinking of You, Birthday, Miss You, Just Because, and Friendship so far which means by the deadline we should be in great shape.
I also received some wonderful notes and I have to say thank you for those as well and if you have an email address please include it when you send a note so I can write you back! I am a terrible snail mail writer so if you want a note back an email is the best way to get one!
OK that’s it for now, I’ll be back in two weeks with another update!
Pam
Happy New Year All!
I must say our first shipment for the year has been a successful one! Here is what my scrapbook room looked like when a couple of friends came over to help me with this overwhelming pile:
And the results were 7200 cards to send to the troops! That’s 20 Large Flat Rate boxes full! Amazing huh? I know I say it over and over again but I just can’t thank you all enough! I will try to send out a personal note to each of you that enclosed your emails as well within the next few days, as you can see I’ve been a bit busy! I have to say thank you again to the Card Maker Magazine readers who are sending due to the Reader’s Reach Out article! Please keep them coming!
Also, thank you so much for the postage donations! They are greatly appreciated and with my shipping costs now having quadrupled much needed!
We need envelopes!!! I finally had to break down and order envelopes for the first time as we actually ran out! I found a great place to get them though so if anyone knows of someone who doesn’t make cards but wants to help they can always send an envelope donation! Action Envelope their web address is: www.Envelopes.com
and here are then envelopes we need:
http://www.envelopes.com/invitation/square-flap/a2-envelopes
Just a few reminders again:
Cards should be blank inside, a small stamped greeting is OK but there must be room for the soldiers to write handwritten notes.
Dark cards must have a white or light paper added inside. The soldiers don’t have access to light colored pens to write on that dark cardstock. Same for envelopes, please add a white label to them if you send a dark envelope.
NO GLITTER unless it’s Ranger Stickles or it’s covered with something that makes it not fall off if you rub it!
Handmade cards only please!
Thank you all again and enjoy the new year and what it brings!
Pam
On Monday I had the honor of speaking for the Molly Stark Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. One of their Regent’s had seen the article my local paper had done on Cards for Soldiers and she contacted me and asked me to come and tell their members a little bit about the program. I was a little nervous but Michael and Josh came with me for some moral support (Jake was on a school trip to NY City). I prepared a brief 10 minute speech and brought some sample cards and hoped for the best since I’m not the best public speaker. They made me feel right at home, as it was a very small group and in the childhood home of General John Stark a very personal space. At the end of my speech much to my surprise they presented me with a “Certificate of Award for Women in American History” as well as a check to help out with costs towards postage. I was so humbled and honored I could have cried. Here is a photo of me standing in front of a photo of the General with Phyllis Gagnon, the Vice Regent of the Chapter and woman who found me and invited me. (Photo by Mr. Gagnon) 
After my speech the women I spoke with were so kind, two of them came up and gave me donations as well. Another one showed me some beautiful cards she made from dried flowers and asked if we could use them, I told her absolutely! We then had refreshments and a tour of the historical boyhood home of the General. It was a great afternoon and I was nervous for nothing. So thank you so much to the women of the DAR for having me and for your generosity!
Pam
My friend and I sorted through another 1400 cards today! That’s a total of 4400 Christmas cards. I have put all the birthday, thinking of you, thank you, etc aside to sort to send off next month since I have 14 Flat Rate boxes to send this month! That is HUGE!
Thank you all for your support! The cards, the envelopes, the postage money everything you do! And for your notes, you are all so wonderful!
Just a couple of things I need to ask…
If you are making a card out of dark cardstock, please line the card with white paper inside, the soldiers probably don’t have easy access to white pens and if the card is dark inside it’s useless to them.
A small stamped greeting inside is fine but please try to leave the inside blank, remember these are for the soldiers to use to send home to their loved ones.
No store bought cards please, this is for handmade cards only. If you have store bought cards you want to donate, the USO sends care packages to the troops all the time and they are a huge organization that has plenty of money to spring for the postage! ;)
Thanks again to all of you!
Pam
Just thought I’d share with you a photo of what was waiting for me when I got home today, this is all Cards for Soldiers mail!!!
Thanks to all!
Pam
