“They just need a piece of construction paper and a crayon,” Charlie Fleishman, Director of the Service to the Armed Forces for the Red Cross, says.
Fleishman and over 30 Red Cross youth clubs put those crayons to paper to make a service member’s holiday just a little more special when they kicked off the Red Cross’ “Holidays for Heroes” campaign in Balboa Park Saturday.
“We try to get cards to military members who are going to be away from home during the holiday, also veterans who are away from home,” Fleishman says. “They may be in the hospital and these cards are a little bit of home during the holidays and it’s just best wishes from San Diego to those folks who can’t be home for the holidays.”
The cards will eventually be distributed to active duty service members, their families and veterans in the VA hospital.
"I did it last year and it’s one of my favorite times of the year. It’s such nice holiday spirit and everything," card maker Jordyn Silverstone says. "We all should give back in any way we can.”
Silverstone hopes to make at least 20 cards for service members.
“It really is keeping military and veteran families connected during periods of separation,” Fleisher says. “It also is a way for us as the general public to be able to say thank you to those who serve us … and during the holidays is an important time to do that when everybody’s focus is on family and home and for those who can’t be here this helps a little bit … Holiday cards really mean more than store-bought cards.”
