When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.
When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include one to the following:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
from Walter Reed Army Medical Center Web site....
ReplyDeleteAny Mail to Wounded and Recovering Soldiers
Thank you to all who sent mail to our recovering Warriors this past holiday season. We also thank the American Red Cross and Pitney-Bowes for their voluntary partnership that resulted in the processing of more than 700,000 pieces of mail!
WRAMC is a Department of Defense hospital and must comply with the US Postal Services Policies. We are deeply grateful on behalf of our patients for the number of cards and letters that thousands of Americans sent showing their concern and support for our warriors here and at military medical facilities across the nation. Unfortunately, we must now revert back to the US Postal Services policy that prohibits receipt of packages, letters, and cards addressed to 'Any Wounded Soldier' or 'A Recovering American Soldier'. For security and safety reasons, the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver "Any Service Member" or "A Recovering American Soldier" letters or packages. Every one of the 700,000 letters and cards that were sent over the holidays were screened by the American Red Cross and several hundred volunteers helped with the screening process. The volunteers found a number of parcels that contained inappropriate comments but because of the screening process, these were not delivered to a recovering service member. The US Postal Service policy, not WRAMC’s policy is that mail to "Any Service Member" that is deposited into a collection box will be returned to sender.
However, the good news is that we are actively exploring relationships with various organizations to enable us to accept this wonderful support in the form of letters and cards on a full time basis. We have heard your voice of support in this Global War on Terrorism and our Warriors and families appreciate your thoughtfulness. Keep checking the website for updates and we will make a public announcement as soon as we establish the details of the unique partnership developed with private organizations.
People who want to express their appreciation to American service members may also consider making a donation to one of the more than 300 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping our troops and their families listed on the "America Supports You" website,
www.americasupportsyou.mil
Other organizations that offer means of showing your support for our troops or assist wounded service members and their families include:
http://www.usocares.org/
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers/
http://www.redcross.org
The Warriors and families again have expressed thanks for the outpouring of gratitude and encouragement from the general public, corporate America and civic groups throughout the past year has been incredible. Our Warriors in Transition are amazed at the thanks and support they receive from their fellow Americans.