We have been published in the newspaper! What a Blessing to Our Troops 10/4

Cutline: Sergeant First Class T. Hall and his wife, Traci Hall. T. is now serving with the military in Kuwait, and Traci, with her friend Jennifer Eberle, has organized a donation drive to send cards over to soldiers for their personal use.

HEADLINE:
BY RICHARD HOSFORD
NEWS STAFF WRITER

AUBURN — Everyone knows the feeling of receiving a card from someone
they haven’t seen in a long time. The connection instantly made between them and
the sender when they read the personalized message and see the familiar
signature is heartwarming and reassuring. For soldiers stationed abroad, and for
their families at home, reasserting that connection is a bright moment in what
is normally a hard experience of worrying and waiting.

Now Auburn residents will have a chance to help soldiers and their
families keep in touch.
Independent Demonstrator for Stampin’Up! Laura
Howard is set to hold a card making day at the Auburn Public Library Saturday,
Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents are invited to participate in the event by
making cards for themselves, and cards to be sent over to troops overseas for
their personal use.

The event is part of “World Card Making Day,” which was started by
Paper Craft Magazine with the goal of getting people interested in card making
together, according to Howard.

Howard said everyone who participates in the card making day event will
be given the materials to make four cards, two of which will be sent to U.S.
troops and two which they can use for themselves. The class is an open-house
style event, where people can come in and leave as their schedule allows, and it
is open to everyone, from people with experience with crafts to beginners.

“We’ll have helpers there for the newbies,” Howard said. “We’ll be
doing things suitable for beginners. This is a good chance for people to come in
and use their creative side.”
She said she became inspired to send cards
over to soldiers after seeing other people make similar donations.

“I’ve had customers send cards over to troops before,” she said. “It’s
got to be hard for them to be over there during the holiday season. I thought
that maybe sending hand-made cards instead of store bought ones would brighten
up their day.”

The cards made at the event will be sent to Traci Hall and Jennifer
Eberle, two military wives who run Cards From Home, an online organization that
has accepted donated cards and sent them to soldiers in Kuwait and Iraq.

The two women started the drive to send cards after they heard from
their husbands that many soldiers stationed abroad do not have a good variety of
cards for their personal use. So far they have sent more than 4,000 cards, and
Hall said they have many soldiers waiting to receive more.

Hall said to keep sending cards they need to receive donations from
people who wish to make a positive impact on a soldier’s day.

“There are hundreds of troops that enjoy our cards and love to
send a hug home, she said. “Without all of our donations, our ministry would not
be the success that it is. We have had so many from around the USA donate
to our ministry that it is a true blessing.”

Judging from the responses posted by soldiers on their website, the
donation drive has been a great success. One soldier who signed as Kimberly B.
wrote with obvious excitement the day after she received a package.
"I got the cards yesterday,” she wrote. “They are the coolest little cards
I’ve ever seen. I just want to frame them all and hang them up. I already
planned how I’m going to use some of them. Thank you once again, this was very
thoughtful of you. Take care and God bless.”

Hall said she knows from first hand experience the affect these cards
can have on family members waiting at home for their loved ones to send word
from overseas. She and her husband, Sgt. First Class T Hall, have three
children, ages 4, 7 and 11. She said whenever her children receive word from
their father, who is in Kuwait, it is always a momentous occasion.

“I’ve been on the receiving end of those cards, and it melts my heart
when my children get their cards from daddy,” she said.

For more information on Cards From Home, visit the website at (www.cardsfromhome.blogspot.com).
Richard Hosford may be
reached by phone at XXX or by email at rhosford@stonebridgepress.com.