How to Send Free Homemade Greeting Cards to Soldiers
According to the Adopt a US Soldier website, 25 to 30 percent of soldiers serving the U.S. overseas do not receive mail. It is important to show all members of the military that their efforts are appreciated. Homemade cards and handwritten letters are welcome glimpses of home, even when received from a stranger.
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Instructions
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Design cards that will be appreciated by a wide range of soldiers. Your card(s) could be received by a man or a woman of any age.
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Review the list of prohibited items and pictures listed at Adopt a US Soldier's website. For example, bulk shipments of materials that are contrary to the Islamic faith cannot be sent to Iraq.
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Choose materials that will lay flat and ship well. The less bulky and heavy the artwork, the easier and cheaper it will be to package and ship. Glitter is also discouraged as a design element, since the card will have go through many hands to reach its destination.
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Find an organization that will make sure your cards get to soldiers that need them. Some organizations, such as Adopt a US Soldier, will help you correspond with a specific soldier. Some organizations, such as Cards for Soldiers, ask for cards that are blank inside and can be shipped to soldiers in different areas.
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Ship your cards in a timely manner so they will be received by the designated holiday. The Cards for Soldiers website has a schedule for when cards should be shipped for each major holiday.
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Wrap all of your cards together in bubble wrap to guard against the elements, then place them in an envelope or cardboard box. The United States Postal Service offers flat-rate boxes and envelopes, basing shipping prices on the size of the box rather than package weight.
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Tips & Warnings
Creating cards for soldiers can be a great project for a group, such as a Sunday school class or nursing home.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit patriotic image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
