visit random acts of kindness for inspiration

 Holiday greetings are wanted for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who  are deployed abroad. Many of whom will not be home with their families  this holiday season.  

The government says the envelopes may only contain correspondence and packages containing anything else will be returned.

Cards and letters typically need to arrive by December 9th in order to be shipped in time for Christmas.

You can send them to: 

Any Canadian Armed Forces Member PO Box 5004 Stn Forces Belleville, ON K8N 5W6 

Whenever the holidays roll around, people wonder how they can give to others. What better way to do this than by having youth sending handmade Holiday Cheer Cards to Veterans who are living in long term care facilities? This year has been difficult for them with the Covid 19 pandemic. Some Veterans may not even see their families this holiday season. Sending them a Holiday Cheer Card could really brighten their day! It is a great gift to send these real-life heroes a personal message of gratitude to tell them that you remember and thank them for what they did.

Handmade cards are very special. Each student can create their own card with their own artwork - drawings or construction paper designs glued on, such as trees, snowmen, winter sports, birds, wreaths, flowers, angels, presents and more. They can be creative as they wish!

Start with a greeting like, “Dear Brave Veteran,” “Dear Veteran,” or “Dear Hero.” They can then write about how thankful they are for what the Veteran did for our country and how they will remember their sacrifices and achievements. Some messages could be:

• Thank you for keeping Canada safe.
• Thank you for your sacrifices for peace.
• I will remember by wearing a poppy on my heart on Remembrance Day.

After that, youth should feel free to wish the Veteran a happy holiday!

Collect all the cards and ensure that they contain appropriate messaging before sending. Group all cards destined for the same location in a single package.

The Holiday Cheer Cards can be sent to Veterans near your community.

You may also send a Holiday Cheer Card to those who are currently serving Canadian Armed Forces members. This program is supervised by the Department of National Defence. Messages from your class might just be the morale booster a currently serving member needs to carry on with a mission.

You could also contact your local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and arrange distribution to Veterans in your area.