On October 30th, Dr. Laura Landerman-Garber, president of Holiday Card 4 our Military Challenge, addressed the Rotary Club of Nashua regarding the Holiday Cards 4 our Military Challenge, making sure some very special heroes all across the world get a special gift. For 20 years, Landerman-Garber has been sending hundreds of thousands of special deliveries for the Holiday Cards 4 our Military Challenge. The challenge is to send cards to our heroes in all branches of the military. She’s been collecting handwritten and homemade letters from people all across the country and shipping them out to our nation's heroes.
"It started with a small family tradition at Thanksgiving, teaching her children about patriotism and gratitude and community service,”
This year, she estimates that they'll send out their 1 millionth card. But with her house packed, she was running out of room, so the community answered the call and came out to help build a shed for all of her cards.
Landerman-Garber told the story of a World War II hero Private First-Class Robert R. Smith reminds us, feeling that touch of love and gratitude from back home can be one of the best gifts we can give.
"I can remember World War II, and you were alone, overseas, and cards meant a lot, it was like, something from home, and that was important,” Smith said.
When Smith asked her why she still does this 20 years later, Landerman-Garber replied “I do it. Because I enjoy it and connections. It’s a beautiful feeling to connect veterans and civilians with one another with a simple gift of the heart”.
Mayor Jim Donchess is a friend and has personally signed thousands of cards.
During our luncheon meeting she asked all veterans, active duty, married to a veteran or knew a veteran to raise hands to make the point that all of us are connected somehow to an active service member of veteran. All raised their hand.
20 years after teaching gratitude, community and patriotism to her children the tradition continues with her grandchildren who in 2017 wrote cards to about 5000 vets including a daughter deployed to USS Roosevelt.
Recently, at a NH Veteran Organization there were 50 to 100 people in attendance. Dean Kamen presented robotic wheelchair. A gift of the heart for someone you will probably never meet.
Senator Hassan spoke of increased collaboration with Veterans Count.
The effort receives inquiries from all over the world. Recently a mother in the Netherlands whose family was liberated by WW2 vets said that she wants to write cards to veterans and active service members and wants to help.
As her effort has outgrown her kitchen table, at a breakfast covered by WMUR last Sunday at VFW Hollis the 4 Vet Singers gifted a shed to Laura for her effort. Builder, electrician, drywaller donated time.
Laura’s association to Rotary goes back to her childhood when she was girl of the month when Rotary was men only. At the time she was invited to lunch and had to sit on each members lap.
Laura challenged our club to write cards. President Brian will collect them. challenge to you.
The cards should include:
Dear Warrior, Happy Holidays, Kwanza, Hannukah. Most important part is telling some home town news, favorite hobbies, sports, books, holiday traditions
Draw a picture, write a poem
Include a riddle, joke with serious, funny or both
Sign only first name, city and state and rotary club you belong to
Military affiliation if applicable
President Brian Law will take cards from Rotary members.
For more information contact:
Dr. Laura Landerman-Garber
5 Hutchings Drive. Suite 100 Unit 103
Hollis, NH 03049
Email: Holidaycardsnh@gmail.com
Website: militaryholidaycardchallenge.com
Donations: Givebutter.com