Military Supporters' Christmas Card Drive Falls Short of Goal
by Mary Rettig
November 8, 2004
(AgapePress) - A Maryland mother of two soldiers says she wants to remind people that America's troops are still overseas fighting for their country, and they deserve to be remembered and thanked.Lynn Jones of Keedysville has a son and daughter, both of whom served in the Middle East last year. She is part of the South Washington County Military Support Group, which is made up of family members of U.S. military soldiers and support personnel. Formed just before the start of the Iraq War, the group initiated a number of activities to show support for the troops. One such activity was a Christmas card drive for the troops.
"What happened was, as a group, we decided last year that we really needed to show the brave men and women in the Middle East that we support them," Jones says. "Of course, my children were over there, and we had about six members of our group that had either spouses or children over there. So we decided as a group to go ahead and do this card drive."
Last year the South Washington County Military Support Group collected more than 13,000 Christmas cards for the troops. This year, however, only about 1,500 cards have been received. Jones is not sure why the number of Christmas cards has dropped off so sharply; she suspects U.S. citizens may have been distracted by the presidential campaign and election.
But whatever the reason for the drop in Christmas cards, the military mom says America's troops should not be forgotten. "We're so proud of our young men and women over there," she says, "and of all the sacrifices they and their families have made for us. I don't think a lot of the general public really realizes what the kids are going through over there."
The members of the South Washington County Military Support Group are encouraging U.S. civilians to remember that the courageous men and women of the U.S. armed forces are still fighting the war on terror in Iraq and in other parts of the world, or are otherwise engaged in preserving the freedom Americans hold dear. Jones does not want any of the troops to experience what she says her own children felt when they were in the Middle East.
"I know when my kids were over there," the Maryland parent notes, "they felt like they sort of got shuffled aside with all the issues about why we're over there." That is why she is again appealing to Americans at home to show their pride, love, and support for America's military service personnel this Christmas. She says her son and daughter have related from personal experience how uplifting it is for the troops to receive cards during the holidays, and they say cards from students are particularly meaningful.
The original goal of this year's drive was to collect 20,000 cards to be sent to selected soldiers serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Cuba. Jones says those who want to participate can still send their Christmas cards and notes for the soldiers, but she must get these by November 15 if they are to be in the soldiers' hands by Christmas.
Cards can be sent to South Washington County Military Support Group, c/o Lynn Jones, P.O. Box 223, Keedysville, MD 21756.
