By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
Manville may not be a headquarters of Hallmark greeting cards but some may think just that. Community members are getting together to make handmade cards to be sent to the members of military overseas.
Ruth Bielanski, the children’s librarian at the Manville Public Library, decided to help Operation Write Home by making cards to send to the military. Ms. Bielanski did a similar card making over the summer with the children to send to the soldiers but this is the first time Ms. Bielanski decided to ask a few people to come out and help her.
”We send these cards to a central location and from there they are sent overseas to soldiers to use them to write home. There are no Hallmark cards in Afghanistan, Iraq or anywhere else,” she said.
The small group of eight gathered in the new quiet room and made cards from scrapbooking supplies, stickers and other items. Cards were decorated on the outside but the insides are left blank so the soldiers can write their own personal messages. Ms. Bielanski wants to make this a monthly event so that more cards can be made and sent to the soldiers.
According to Operation Write Home’s website the mission of this organization is supporting our nation’s armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.
This band of thousands of card makers is made up of Americans — and citizens of other nations, too — who care about those serving overseas, and want to support them through creativity and encouragement. Crafters of all ages and levels of experience have participated since 2007 and are on the way to a landmark 1 million cards, according to the website.
Care packages filled with hundreds of handmade cards are sent to the contacts overseas, restocking every six to eight weeks, and are sent in time for the long journey back home to loved ones. Each box is packed with alternating styles, colors, and card makers from all over the U.S.
The topper on each box is a plastic bag filled with 20 to 30 letters from adults and children across the country, letters handed out especially to those in need of a positive word from the home front. Boxes are shipped through every week of the year, so people are invited to join in sending their creations to help those serving overseas keep in touch with home.
The next card-making event will be held at the library on Wednesday, March 16 at 6 p.m. To sign up to help make cards, donate scrapbooking items such as stickers, paper, etc., call Ms. Bielanski at (908) 722-9722. Everyone is welcome to come and help.
