{Will You Join Me?}

I'm amazed by the people who serve our country. They protect our freedoms and sacrifice

their own personal comforts and routines with their families to make sure ours stay safe.

Last year, I found a blog hosted by a woman who is doing something really cool to

help to support our troops. She makes and collects homemade cards that she sends

to deployed soldiers on her own dime. Then, our service people can use these cards

to write to their families and friends in the states. Isn't that awesome?

When you take time to think it through, it's pretty amazing what these families are

committing to when they sign up to serve.

Travel. Danger. Living in different time zones. Living apart. Moving. Knowing they could

be deployed any time. Multiple deployments. Missing both major and day-to-day things

at home. Time spent apart that could easily translate into growing apart. Soldiers that

see and do things in the field that can't be forgotten when they try to return to real life.

Such things are probably just a drop in the bucket compared to the reality of what these

men and woman (and their families) sacrifice. And they're doing it for us. I think that

deserves some support.

So, in a small show of support, I put together a few cards to help the Cards for Soldiers

effort last May. (See the cards I made here and here.) Then, I sent them off to New

Hampshire where she lives. She was quick to send me a thank you email, and then she

included my cards in a shipment to a base in the Middle East.

I've decided to do this again in May 2011. I'm going to keep an eye out for sales on the

products I'll need during April so I'm ready to go when May rolls around.

Would you like to join me in supporting this cause?

I thought I'd throw this out there now to give you some time to prepare and plan. Maybe

we can work together to make a big contribution in May ... or over the summer ... or

whenever you might be able to find time to contribute.

You can send five cards or 500. You can always send a donation to help with her shipping

costs -- even $5 would be super appreciated -- if you're short on time or skills.

Feeling a little interested? Check out her site for more information. There's actually

some important details on there about what size the cards should be or when you need to

include envelopes and when you don't. Also, the cards should not contain any glitter. (It

can stick to the soldiers and make them shine at night when they're trying not to be seen.)

Send all cards to:
Cards for Soldiers
5 Spicebush Circle
Litchfield, NH 03052 USA

Below is a schedule that shows what type of cards she's looking for when in 2011:

ROUND 4:

Cards should be received by March 27, 2011

Mother's Day & Armed Forces Day

ROUND 5:

Cards should be received by May 8, 2011

Father's Day & 4th of July/Independence Day

ROUND 6:

Cards should be received by June 15, 2011

General occasion cards

ROUND 7:

Cards should be received by August 1, 2011

Patriots Day, Grandparent's Day & Rosh Hashanah

ROUND 8:

Cards should be received by September 20, 2011

Halloween & Thanksgiving

ROUND 9:

Cards should be received by October 3, 2011

Veteran's Day (please write a note to a soldier in each card)

ROUND 10: Cards should be received by November 7, 2011

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, & New Years

Please be sure to leave a comment if you decide to participate.

I hope you'll join me in this fun effort to support our troops.