Club hosts event, creates cards for soldiers to use

BY JILL PRIDHAM

Where do you get a greeting card in Baghdad?

With no Hallmark stores in Baghdad or Kabul soldiers wishing to send a birthday or get well greeting have a difficult time finding cards. The members of Rainbow Mountain Homemakers Club have been creating handmade greeting cards for two years for soldiers to use to keep in touch with family and friends.

The Rainbow Mountain Homemakers began making and sending cards to soldiers “as a positive way to help the soldiers and their families,” club president Sammie Robinson said.

As the club discussed this year’s card making day, the membership focused on the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks coming up, and the club decided to do something extra special this year. An idea developed and planning began. What started as a day the club members would make cards turned into an event in which the entire community can be involved.

Working with Operation Write Home, Rainbow Mountain Homemakers is hosting a free card making workshop on August 20 at First Baptist Church in Madison, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In honor of the 9/11 anniversary, 911 card kits have been prepared. Anyone interested in helping make cards to send to our military personnel is welcome. The cards will then be sent to shippers who will sort and send boxes to military groups serving overseas.

All the cards will be made from kits, with all of the pieces ready to assemble; instructions and a picture of the finished card are included. No experience is necessary, just willing hands. Anyone planning to attend is encouraged to bring scissors for trimming paper, and adhesives such as tape runners and glue sticks. Some tools will be available to share.

In addition to the card making, there will be door prize drawings and a basket of paper crafting supplies given away. Anyone who brings 10 cards already made to donate will get a free drawing entry for the basket. The cards should be 4.25 x 5.5 inches and have no glitter. Snacks will be available. Childcare will not be provided.

Monetary donations to cover the cost of materials and shipping are welcome. Any money remaining after the event will be sent as a donation to Operation Write Home.

Over 25 percent of the club members have sons and daughters currently active in or have served in the armed forces. All of the members have fathers, husbands or fathers-in-law who were in the military.

“In making 911 cards in remembrance of those who died 10 years ago, and sending them to the people who fight to keep us safe, we are making an effort to help them and their families,” club member Elizabeth Griswold said.