Letters, cards and coloring pages go into a Ziploc bag and are packed on the top of a Comfort and Care Package. They may be the first thing Service Members see when they open the Comfort and Care Package. Since the contents are meant to be shared, multiple letters, cards, and coloring pages are included in each Comfort and Care Package.
Here are the guidelines for cards, letters and coloring pages.
Do’s
- Use a greeting such as “Dear Hero, Dear Military Person, or Dear Service Member”. Comfort and Care Packages are sent to members in all branches of the service.
- It is ok to say things like “We are praying for your safety.”
- It is great to thank Service Members for the dedication, service, and sacrifices they are making to keep our country safe and free.
- Be positive, Service Members need to remain optimistic and focused on their duties.
- It is okay for adults to sign their full name, however, children should only put their first name or phrases like “Johnny 2nd grade, Lincoln School” or “Suzi W. Brownie, Troop 281”. This is for the protection of the children.
- If children are too young to write, a colored pre-printed or hand-drawn picture is worth a thousand words.
Don’ts
- Don’t date cards or letters. They may not be shipped for a couple of months.
- Don’t seal your cards or letters. Each letter is reviewed before sending.
- Don’t address the cards to a specific branch of the military.
- Don’t mention death or sadness. Service Members often have to face these situations and the intent is to boost the morale.
- Avoid political statements.
- Don’t make negative statements about the country.
- Each letter brings joy to our Service Members who are away from home. The letter bags include blank paper and envelopes for them to write home. Service Members love receiving the letters, cards, and drawings. Please keep writing.
Coloring Pages
Service Members enjoy receiving creative art pages from kids. OSOT-America recommends using Patriotic Drawing and Coloring pages to be shipped in Comfort and Care Packages throughout the year. To find coloring pages, go to a search engine (for example Google) and type in ‘Patriotic Themed Coloring Pages’. A number of sites will come up for access to print out and copy coloring pages.
Example Sites:
www.patrioticcoloringpages.com
www.coloringbookfun.com/patriotic/