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| Holiday Mail for Heroes | | 11/19/2009 9:50:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Send a βtouch of homeβ to service members, veterans and family members this holiday season
The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to deliver holiday cards to service members, their families and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season. Now in its third year, the "Holiday Mail for Heroes" program provides Americans with the opportunity to extend holiday greetings and thanks to service members and veterans.
Between November 2 and December 7, Mainers are invited to send a "touch of home" through holiday cards that contain messages of cheer and appreciation. The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will then screen cards for hazardous materials, sort and package the cards, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran's hospitals and other locations during the holidays. Pitney Bowes is providing screening, packaging and shipping at no charge from a centralized address in Maryland. Once the cards have been screened and sent back to the local Red Cross in Maine, Red Cross volunteers will sort and box the cards for delivery to service men and women, veterans and family members in November and December.
"It's an honor for our community to help make the holidays special for American heroes," says Shannon Flavin Cox, executive director of the Pine Tree Chapter. "The American Red Cross serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance every day. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces."
For this year's "Holiday Mail for Heroes" program, the Pine Tree Chapter will be sorting cards on Saturday, December 12, at the Chapter's Bangor office at 122 Target Industrial Circle off of Outer Hammond Street.
Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456. Cards must be received no later than December 7. For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked not to send "care packages" or monetary gifts, or use glitter, or include any inserts with the cards.
Visit redcross.org/holidaymail for complete guidelines and best practices on the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Visit www.pinetree.redcross.org to learn more about the Pine Tree Chapter Service to the Armed Forces program.
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