The San Antonio Chapter of the American Red Cross has joined hands with Joint Base San Antonio to kick off this year’s Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign.
The two-week drive invites local military personnel and civilians to take a minute to write their name or thoughts on a Christmas card for an active-duty service member or veteran.
Brig. Gen. Robert LaBrutta, commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio, praised the Red Cross for the project and for keeping military members connected
"Every single day the Red Cross is connecting service members from around the globe with their families back home. And when an emergency occurs, they’re the first to notify us," LaBrutta said. "Sometimes for that service member, it’s the only time they actually get to interact with the Red Cross. But I tell you, when that happens during that time of need, they carry it with them for the rest of their lives."
San Antonio Red Cross Board Member Chuck Rose said the annual program has demonstrated that the men and women serving overseas appreciate knowing that other families are thinking of them.
"I had a young lady come up and sign the card and she said, ‘I’ll sign as many of these as you want. I received one last year in Afghanistan and you don’t know what it meant to me to receive the card,'" Rose said.
Wells Fargo is offering the free service at 47 stores and other locations through Nov. 15. The Red Cross will collect the cards and make sure they reach service members and veterans in time for the holidays.
