A Message of Thanks and Cheer: Last Call for Holiday Mail For Heroes

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross North Texas Region

Every winter, the Red Cross puts the call out to Americans to make and sign holiday cards that we deliver veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world as part of our Holiday Mail For Heroes campaign. This year, we put the call out to our community for a talented young artist to design the card we'd be having thousands of North Texans sign.

10 year old Larissa Cantu drew our winning card:

"I was so excited to win and it was really cool to see my drawing on the card and my name on the back of it," said Larissa.

Larissa's card was printed and sent to events across North Texas, thanks to the generosity of our program sponsor Wells Fargo. We collected thousands of personal notes, thanking troops for their service and letting them know they are in our thoughts this holiday season.

"We are a military family," explains Lisa Cantu, Larissa's mother. "My husband has been in the U.S. Navy for 17 years. So anytime we can spread some cheer to our troops, we always try."

10-year-old Larissa drew
this year's holiday card
for troops

And what would Lisa & Larissa say to the troops if they could?

"We would like to wish our troops and their families happy holidays. We would like them to know that we are always thinking of them and thank them for everything they do to protect our freedom."

If you want to sign one of Larissa's cards, or sign or make your own, just remember you have until this Thursday, December 5 to drop off cards at our Dallas chapter. Or you can mail them in yourself to this address...just make sure your cards are postmarked by December 6 to ensure delivery to our troops!

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Don't forget to check out the website for card guidelines.

PS: A special thank you for everyone who has already signed a card, including those who organized signings at our corporate partners, including Nationstar Mortgage, TXU Energy, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Texas Instruments, PepsiCo, Wells Fargo and more!

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Holiday Mail for Heroes: A Military Family’s Wish from you this Holiday Season

Written by Lauren Clarke, volunteer contributor

American Red Cross North Texas Region Chief Communications Officer, Anita Foster, shows just some of the thousands of cards made for Holiday Mail for Heroes in 2010.

Without a doubt, the toughest period of my husband’s nine-month deployment to Afghanistan was during the holiday season. We missed him, and he missed us. Even though we remained focused on his mission and were proud of his service, it was tough not having him at home. The holiday cards we sent to him in Afghanistan were strung around his small bunk and in his tent, and shared with his colleagues, adding some cheer and offering a little reminder of home.

That’s why to me, as a military spouse and Red Cross volunteer, I want to encourage you to take part in the 2012 Holiday Mail for Heroes program, sponsored by the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes. It’s a simple yet impactful way for your family and friends to share your gratitude with our service members, veterans, and their families during this holiday season. Take an hour with kids, friends, and co-workers to buy or make cards and really make a difference to those serving our country far from home. Trust me, it will be appreciated.

Simply make or buy cards and mail them to this address no later than December 7:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will then screen the cards for hazardous materials, sort and package the cards, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran’s hospitals and other locations. 

Please be sure to follow these guidelines that ensure your cards go through the review process quickly:

·        Only cards are accepted. Do not send letters.
 All cards must be postmarked no later than December 7, 2012. Be sure to affix adequate postage.
All cards should be signed.
 Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” (Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.)
Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, since the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, because these items will be removed during the review process.
Do not send cards with glitter.  

To learn more about the life changing work that the Red Cross provides to service men and women, military families and veterans throughout the year, visit the Service to Armed Forces page at redcross.org.

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Colliers International Dallas-Fort Worth Launches New Charity Partnership with the American Red Cross

Written by Lilly Watson, staff contributor

When asked what motivates Mary Stoner Yost to strive for her best in all of her professional and personal projects, Mary sums it up simply: “My motto is, ‘You only live once. This is not a dress rehearsal.’ I think we should make the best use of our time here and leave the world a better place."

Mary Stoner Yost, executive vice president at Colliers International, is now uniting her professional career as a service-led commercial real estate broker and her volunteer experience to inspire other with her motto and encourage an attitude of giving in her coworkers. 

The real estate company has named the American Red Cross North Texas Region as their workplace charity of choice, which begin an exciting partnership featuring volunteer and fundraising opportunities as well as unique programming and educational opportunities from the Red Cross for Colliers staff.

The partnership kicked off with a tour of the American Red Cross facilities and an opportunity to learn about the programs and services that the Red Cross provides. They also engaged their staff and the tenants of Granite’s Park17 to participate in an office blood drive benefitting the Red Cross during their nationwide call for emergency blood donations on June 28. Colliers’ clients, colleagues, friends and family gathered on July 11 at  the House of Blues, with all proceeds from admission benefitting the American Red Cross. A $10 entry fee covered appetizers and the first round of drinks.

Mary Stoner Yost (left) with American Red Cross North Texas Region CEO
T.D. Smyers (center) and YPA President Caroline Hurley (right)

“One of the core values of Colliers is community and another one is fun,” Yost said as she shared all of the Red Cross events on their office calendar. “We really feel like we need to live our values every day and part of that is by giving back to the community.”

Colliers employees in Dallas will also get to participate in a compression-only CPR class, an emergency hygiene kit donation and assembly party and in the fall, employees will sign holiday cards to be distributed to servicemen and women as well as veterans through the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Yost initially found a place for her time and talents with the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Society of Women Leaders, a national group of women who make annual financial contributions to their area chapters and help develop new ways of fundraising and serving the public during times of disaster. Alongside her long-time friend, Suzy Bashore, they now both serve as co-chairs.

“I thought, ‘People lose everything in a house fire or other disaster. Where do they go and what do they do? If it wasn’t for the Red Cross, who would be providing these services?’” she explained, “Learning more about the Red Cross and how it is completely relying on donors to do this work drew me in.”

Through the Tiffany Circle, Yost was able to work on one of her favorite Red Cross projects, a stuffed dog named Piper the Puppy. Piper is given to someone going through a disaster that needs something soft and special to hold onto. Piper the Puppy is purchased through a $100 tax-deductible gift to the Red Cross. The donor’s name is written on Piper’s footpad and a card is sent when Piper deploys to a disaster to let its purchaser know that their gift is tucked into the arms of a disaster victim.

“Piper was brainstormed here in Dallas by two good friends of mine, Tiffany Circle co-chair Suzy Bashore and Phebe Phillips,” Yost said. “When you think about a child who has lost everything – their toy box, their home, everything – you think about what they possibly have to hold on to that will give them hope. They’re scared and maybe they’re cold, and giving a child a Piper the Puppy is an automatic good, soft touch and feel for them and provides comfort.”

Yost hopes that by making a connection with the Red Cross easily accessible to her coworkers, many will continue to support the organization outside of the work place. She now serves as a mentor to the newly formed American Red Cross Young Professionals Auxiliary of DFW, a group for young professionals ages 21-30 who are looking for unique networking, service and social opportunities in the Metroplex.

“I think it’s important to bring the next generation of young professionals into the charitable world so they can get an idea of how to serve on a board, what you do on a committee and the structure of an organization,” Yost said when asked about her inspiration for helping with the launch of the auxiliary. “I remember when I was young and getting in the business. I never forgot the people that helped me when I was in my early twenties to get involved in both industry and charitable organizations and to give back to our community at an early age.”

Yost's legacy with the organization is being created through the lives she introduces to the Red Cross. Each one of these individuals can now experience the mission and choose to leave a lasting impression on their neighbors and community because of the partnership she helped create. 

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Happy Holidays to the United States Military!

Holiday Mail for Heroes 2011 concluded at the Dallas Area Chapter on Saturday as some 40 volunteers came together to sort thousands of holiday cards written to members of the United States Armed Forces. Many of the cards were from children and to say they were all heartfelt would be an understatement. Thanks to all of you who took the time to brighten the day of an active duty, veteran or wounded warrior! And a big thanks to Pitney Bowes for once again being a great partner!

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Grab a Stamp and Mail Your Greeting!

There are three days left to grab a pen, holiday card and a stamp and fill out your greeting card for a member of the U.S. military. Follow this link to Holiday Mail for Heroes to find out all of the details. Make a service member's day. Send a grateful note of thanks this holiday season!

To do more for to help U.S. servicemembers, take a look at our Holiday Giving Catalog where you can purchase phone cards or military comfort kits.

Since its inception, the American Red Cross has been meeting the needs of military members and their families at home and around the world.

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Holiday Mail For Heroes A Huge Success

More than 8,000 folks across the Dallas area joined the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes in the 4th annual Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign! Community members were asked to fill out a holiday greeting card and get them back to the Red Cross by December 10. Last year, the American Red Cross was able to make the holiday season brighter for more than 1 million members of the US Armed Forces around the world!

The Red Cross in Dallas thanks everyone for their tremendous support and we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season!

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Three Things We Can do on Veteran's Day

When I woke up on this Veteran's Day morning in the year 2010, I did what most of us do. I checked my Facebook page. One of my friends had posted this as her status:

"A veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. That is beyond honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact. Copy and paste this as your status if you are a Veteran, know a Veteran, Love a Veteran, or support the Troops."

Our Veteran's, and those currently serving, truly are heroes and it's an honor to be able to support them through our work at the American Red Cross. Maybe you're not familiar with how we support the troops every day so let me give you just a few highlights of our program called Service to Armed Forces:

• The Red Cross helps some 2.6 million members of the military and their families every year.
• We send and receive emergency messages around the world 24/7. For a service member who has left cell phones and Blackberries behind, this service is the connection back to his/her family at home and it's priceless in delivering peace of mind.
• We brief nearly one million deploying service members and their families about how to access Red Cross services when separated.

Those are just the highlights. We do so much more including financial assistance, running a Fallen Solider program like we do here in Dallas, and creating opportunities for you to show your support through programs like Holiday Mail for Heroes. So, I decided to do three things today in honor of Veteran's Day and I'm asking you to join me.

First, I will take a moment of silence to say a very grateful thanks to all of our Veteran's and to those currently serving. Next, I will select a holiday card created by Amy Grant, Dr. Phil, Miley Cyrus or Jane Seymour that will be sent to one of our military members currently serving and lastly, I will make a $25 gift to the Red Cross to go along with that card. It's the least we can do and it's quick and easy to help. Just click here. http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hmfh_card_gallery&JServSessionIdr004=natkjvom01.app297a

Since I started writing this blog, a Twitter follower posted this as his status: "If you live in freedom, thank a Veteran". On behalf of all of us at the American Red Cross, we do thank you Veteran's. Enjoy your special day.

--Anita Foster, American Red Cross, Dallas, Texas

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Send Holiday Greeting to the Troops!

At the American Red Cross, we love this time of year because we get to kick off one of our favorite programs...Holiday Mail for Heroes! Thanks to the generosity of Pitney-Bowes and the Hallmark Corporation, we're able to give you the opportunity to write your own holiday greeting to an active duty, hospitalized or retired service member. Last year, we sent more than one million greetings from grateful Americans, and we expect this year to be at least as many!

We'd love for you to participate in Holiday Mail for Heroes too! Just follow these simple steps:

Go to www.redcross.org/holidaymail to learn how to participate and then set up a drive at your church, school or business. If you need cards in bulk, just give us a call at 214-678-4800 and ask for Anita. We'll be happy to get you at least 100 cards.

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Greg Biffle is our Hero!

Texas Motor Speedway is always an exciting place to be when NASCAR comes to town, but this weekend, it will create an explosion for all of us who love the American Red Cross!

Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 car, will sport the world-wide symbol of hope on his firesuit, and the paint scheme of his Ford Fusion will proudly showcase the Red Cross logo! It's really exciting, but there's even more!

On Sunday, the legendary Willie Nelson will play the American Red Cross "Salute to the Troops" pre-race show and LeeAnn Womack, an American Red Cross volunteer, will escort some 150 military troops to the stage so they can be recognized for their sacrafice, heroism and selflessness. Meanwhile...

Local Red Cross volunteers will be out on the Midway at Gate 7 all weekend so stop by and learn how to become a blood donor like Greg Biffle, and while you're there, be sure to sign a holiday greeting card for a member of the United States military as part of the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

We're very grateful to the 3M Corporation for lending us their space on the No. 16 car so that we can remind people that the American Red Cross needs blood every day, serves military members every day, responds to disasters every 8 minutes, every day. We're in love with Greg Biffle for being a regular blood donor and for going out of his way to support the American Red Cross. It's not something he has to do which makes him even more special to us.

We very much appreciate NASCAR fans, Roush Fenway Racing and all of our American Red Cross supporters! So if you're heading out to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, stop by and see us. If you're not, consider following the Biff''s lead and text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. See you on pit row!

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