do you have a spare Christmas card?

[mary9761]

If one would like to do something for recovering soldiers, there is always the possibility if you live in an area with a local veteran's hospital to donate toiletries etc. You could also check your local American Legion, VFW etc as they nearly always have a program year round collecting items for the veterans in hospitals etc.
Just a thought.

[PamNY]

This email is making the rounds, but I'm fairly sure the information isn't accurate. Here's what Snopes has to say:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/walterreed.asp

I send some packages through Anysoldier.com -- that's one resource for supporting deployed military (not wounded). In that case, I know for sure there has to be a specific name on a package or card. I have some other resources for military support but they aren't immediately at hand. I'll post them tomorrow.

Pam

[vinbek]

My Girl Scout troop sends cards and packages each year. One of our girl's dad is career military - 30 years so far.

Holiday mail program for service members under way
Body The American Red Cross is sponsoring a national "Holiday Mail for
Heroes" campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to service members
and veterans both in the United States and abroad.

Holiday Mail for Heroes, which began Tuesday, Veterans Day, is a follow-up
to the 2007 effort that resulted in the collection and distribution of more
than 600,000 cards to hospitalized service members. This year's program will
expand its reach to not only wounded service members but also veterans and
their families. The goal is to collect and distribute 1 million pieces of
holiday mail.

"As we enter this holiday season-a time to celebrate with family and
friends-it's important to remember the thousands of men and women who serve
our nation in harm's way and those who are recovering in military and
veterans hospitals," said Army Col. Norvell V. Coots, commander, Walter Reed
Health Care System. "The Holiday Mail for Heroes program is a wonderful
outreach effort and a great way to acknowledge the sacrifices of our men and
women in uniform."

Holiday cards should be mailed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD. 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10. Cards should not be
mailed or delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

For more information, visit www.wramc.amedd.army.mil or
www.redcross.org/holidaymail for Holiday Mail for Heroes program
guidelines.Walter Reed is not accepting mail addressed to "A Recovering
American Soldier."


Linda Rasnake 202-280-9389
FRSA/WTB
WRAMC
6900 Georgia Avenue, N.W.
ABRAMS HALL ROOM 1020
Washington, DC 20307