Team effort helps deliver holiday mail for heroes
For the fourth year in a row, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. collected cards from the public to distribute to U.S. military service members, veterans and their families across the country and abroad this holiday season.
- PHOTO: Holiday Mail
For the fourth year in a row, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. collected cards from the public to distribute to U.S. military service members, veterans and their families across the country and abroad this holiday season.
Through the program, Americans were asked to send greeting cards to be distributed to members of the Armed Forces and veterans during the holidays. A goal of 1 million holiday cards was set for this year.
Pitney Bowes received cards and messages at a special holiday mail post office box then screened all mail. The Red Cross utilized volunteers at more than 200 participating U.S. chapters to sort, package and deliver this mail throughout the holiday season.
Local Andersen Corp. employees Randy Bauer (River Falls), Dennis Earley (New Richmond), Renee Lundin (Balsam Lake) and Kevin Roettger (Stillwater, Minn.) teamed with the St. Croix Valley Chapter of the Red Cross at the chapter’s Bayport office recently to help process 3,000 pieces of mail.
More than 3 million cards have been distributed during the first three years of the campaign.
“Even in this day of e-mail and e-cards, handwritten messages are the most personal way for Americans to express their gratitude to those who sacrifice for our nation,” said Sherri Brown, senior vice president, Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces. “Each year, those who receive the cards tell us they are touched by the heartfelt messages from people they’ve never met.”
For more information about this program, visit: www.redcross.org/holida ymail.
“Holiday Mail for Heroes provides an avenue for individuals and families to support our country’s heroes,” said Anne McNamara, emergency services director, St. Croix Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. “Sending a greeting card is a small effort that makes a big impact on our American heroes. It’s a perfect time to honor and extend a warm holiday greeting to those who’ve served and continue to do so. Our chapter is especially grateful to the Andersen Corp. and its employees who participated in this year’s program.”
According to one volunteer, “We’re so happy to send holiday greetings to the dedicated, hard working members of our Armed Forces, including active military members, hospitalized veterans and their families. Every card counts when it comes to showing our country’s thanks and appreciation to those defending our freedom.”
Each year the Red Cross provides assistance to more than 2 million service members and many of our nation’s 24 million veterans. At the core of the Service to the Armed Forces mission is a commitment to support military families, military and veteran’s hospitals and provide emergency communications across the globe.
The Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit: www.re dcross.org.
Tags: new richmond, communities, military
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