It might seem early to start sending holiday cards, but the American Red Cross has begun collecting them to send to those serving in the U.S. armed forces.
"They're words of thanks and support for people who need to know the community appreciates them," said Valerie Whyman, director of donor relations of Northcentral Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Drop-off locations include the Community Arts Center, Jersey Shore State Bank, Woodlands Bank and First Citizen's Community Bank.
Cards will be collected until the end of November and distributed in December.
To make sure the card reaches a service member:
Ensure all cards are signed.
Use generic salutations such as "Dear Service Member." Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.
Only send cards. Letters and photos will not be included.
Do not include email or home addresses on the cards.
Do not use cards with glitter or loose glitter because they can aggravate health issues of ill and injured workers.
To mail a large quantity of cards, bundle and place them in large mailing envelopes or flat-rate postal shopping boxes. Each card does not need its own envelope because envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution.
