From Our Hearts

Alpha Phi Omega - Rhi Pi From UCSD Stamp For From Our Hearts

42 members of the Alpha Pi Omega - Rho Pi from the UCSD campus (San Diego, CA) worked together to make cards for the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They write: "We would like to send our thanks to them for serving our country!"

Bryant D contacted From Our Hearts before the event happened, asking many questions . . . they had never made cards before - and From Our Hearts provided direction to them -

They made cards that just blew us away - as we don't typically receive cards that aren't stamped.  They hand wrote many of the cards and the sentiments were right on...

The cards that From Our Hearts mail overseas are "hand crafted" - and they did just this - each and every one, made from their heart . . .

We know that each and every card they made, hand printed with a sentiment and those with stickers that express the wishes - and so carefully crafted - will be well received.  We know that each and every card will be picked from those we send and will be sent to a loved one.

Bryant sent some photos of their card making event.

They were busy, and hard at work, making 160 cards to sent to us!

And look at the smiles!

And not just young women, but men came out to create their masterpieces, too!

Our thanks to Bryant for contacting us, for "picking our brain", finding out what is needed and how to do it, all the time and effort of so many of those who participated, and for the resulting 160 cards that arrived at our doorstep!

From Our Hearts Stamps in Illinois

Meet Mary Ellen C from Wood River, Illinois.  Mary Ellen has been supporting From Our Hearts for years and last year, attended a local From Our Hearts Father's Day card making event in Jefferson City - since that time, she has held many card making events for the troops in her home, inviting From Our Hearts -

Our schedules have conflicted. . . until this past month when finally, we could say "yes"!

October 22 came, and Susan T and Martie got up early and drove the 3 hours to attend Mary Ellen's 12 hour event.  What fun!  Her stamping space was transformed into a card making factory!  With over 500 cards planned, there were card "packets" ready to go, we just needed to take a seat and get busy.

There were about a dozen of us, total, many came for a few hours and some of us stamped the entire time.

We focused, some of us working individually - Susan and I worked as a team on each packet of cards.

From start to finish (putting the cards into the clear envelopes), the volunteers did a phenomenal job on the cards!

At the end of the day, Martie and Susan brought home 360 cards and the many more that were left undone, Mary Ellen decided to keep and put together herself - with a promise of sending them soon.  Mary Ellen donated even more supplies and also collected donations - enough to mail over the entire box of cards and more.  Wow, that is above and beyond!  A thank you goes out to Pam D from Florissant, MO for her cash contribution to our cause!

Her is a sample of a few of the cards made that day:

Lovely cards/designs!

Mary Ellen tackled the get wells; each bandaid is cut out and popped us with a dimensional!

This was a fun card to make - Susan and Martie worked in this one -

A simple, yet very nice Christmas card:

There were many, many more card designs, too many to post!

A big THANK YOU to Mary Ellen for sharing her space, time, talent, and all the effort (and delicious food, too!)  And a thank you to all those who came and stamped; we had fun meeting and sharing the time stamping with everyone.

We appreciate Mary Ellen's hospitality and will be back!!!

Erie Colorado Supporters Stamp for the Troops

We have to share what Carolyn M from Erie, CO has been up to!

Carolyn organized a card making event on August 28 and the ladies came, and stamped at the Erie Community Center.

Not only did these ladies donate their time, but they also brought pens for us to include in our boxes - over 150!

And, to top it all, they donated money for our cause!

406 lovely cards were made that day -

- a nice variety of cards, and each one carefully crafted -

From baby to wedding, they made just about every type of card.

 including many types of holiday cards, too.

Here is a group shot - we sometimes have a hard time picking out just a few to photograph!

Our heartfelt thanks to Carolyn and the ladies in Erie, CO for all they have done for us, and for our troops!  Carolyn tells us she is planning another event in the spring and we look forward to being able to report on the success of her next event!

 

Lucasville, Ohio Oct 1 Card Making Event is Planned

CARD MAKERS TO DONATE 200 CARDS - If you are in the area, please plan on attending!

Community member Elaine Uhl is organizing a charity card-making event on October 1, at which volunteers will assemble 200 cards for servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Through her one-day event, Uhl expects to contribute Christmas, birthday, and thinking-of-you cards. 

The Card Buffet is a way for local crafters, both new and experienced, to impact the lives of servicemen and women.  No stamping or crafting experience needed!  All the materials are being donated by Uhl.  Volunteers can attend at her Lucasville home between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2011.  Contact Uhl for address and directions: 740-352-2594.

“It is a privilege to spend the day making cards for the people who give back so much to our country,” says Elaine.  “I hope many community members will join me!  October 1 is World Card Making Day so it’s the perfect time to hold a charity event.”

Those who cannot attend on October 1 may make monetary donations for From Our Hearts through Elaine, by mailing checks directly to From Our Hearts, PO Box 105243, Jefferson City, MO 65110, or by Paypal (link on the right side bar).

Elaine Uhl is an avid paper crafter as well as a Demonstrator with Stampin’ Up!  From Our Hearts appreciates Elaine dedicating "World Card Making  Day" to From Our Hearts and to our service men and women!

Zanesville, OH Free Card Making Event Sept 17

What:  Card Making event for the troops - in support of From Our Hearts

When:  Saturday, September 17 from 1030 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Where:  John McIntire Library in Zanesville, Ohio

This event is open to the public, ages 16 and older and everyone, stampers and non-stampers who want to learn to stamp are invited to come and stamp and assemble cards for the troops.  All supplies are provided and door prizes will be given out.

The goal:  1,000 cards for our servicemen and women - each and every one will be donated to From Our Hearts!

If you are in the Zanesville area, plan on attending.

Palmyra NJ Event a Success!

From Patti M:

Here is a short report of our very successful event Saturday April 9.  Local Pastor Wes Allen allowed us to use the Fellowship Hall of Central Baptist Church in Palmyra NJ. We met from 12:00 to 4:30.  We stamped, assembled, labeled "Palmyra Pals" (customized slip), envelopes, and inserted into a clear plastic sleeve.

There were close to 35 ladies throughout the day with a consistent and a hardy 21 who stayed from beginning to end.

There were also 8 kids who were making cards for kids from kids...local SU! demonstrator Jen A, who works at the local elementary school recruited many of the teachers and aides.  She also worked with a couple of the after-school clubs to produce some of the cards for kids.

  

We asked for donations to help with shipping costs to mail cards to From Our Hearts and overseas.  One of the ladies who helped prepare for the day, Kelly P, called her boss who graciously offered to ship the boxes.  Since Kelly's boss picked up the cost of shipping to you we are sending you $188.00.

Group photo:

Jen A, SU demonstrator kneeling center brown top

Patti M kneeling end black and white top, Kelly P standing center black top.

All in all we were able to finish and ship 777 cards.

And here is a sampling of some of the cards that were made and shipped our way:

 

Many more photos could have been taken, but we needed to get the cards put away!  Our heartfelt thanks to Patti and her volunteers who assisted her, to Kelly's boss for the shipping donation and to all those who showed to help stamp and assemble all these beautiful cards!

Jefferson City Academic Center Student Community Service Project

On January 4, the students of Jefferson City Academic Center in Missouri spent 2 hours of their time to helping From Our Hearts.

80 students, with the help of our volunteers Sue S (pictured above), Susan F and Susan T, stamped and assembled over 200 cards.

Each student had the opportunity to assemble a packet of 15-20 cards.

The teachers were on hand to help.

St Patrick's Day cards were one of the many designs made.

In addition to making cards, the students helped to sort hundreds of cards that we had on hand that needed to be sorted and placed into "holding boxes".

Some students rotated to our cutting station where "slips" were cut. 

The tables were placed in the hallway - you can see just how many "stations" there were!

Our thanks to the Jefferson City Academic Center for choosing From Our Hearts as their community service project and for supplying the materials to make all of the cards and for shipping them overseas, too.

And our gratitude to the staff and students of Jefferson City Academic Center for hosting the event!  We received a nice thank you note  - they say: "thank you for a wonderful day!  The staff and students had a great time "creating" and learning.  Your organization does such a good thin on so many levels."

We thank all of YOU for allowing us the opportunity!

And thank you for supporting our effort and the troops!

Roark Data Employees Show Their Support

Headed up by Melissa E, the employees of Roark Data, Eden Prairie, MN, gathered together to stamp for our troops.  (Melissa is standing in the back, overseeing their work . . . making sure the cards are p-e-r-f-e-c-t ! ! ! )

The employees, men and women alike, stamped 177 cards.

under the watchful eye of Melissa!

Melissa tells us that Roark Data contributes the clear envelopes.

The employees take their "work" seriously!

And they had fun, too.

The result?  Beautiful cards, each and every one of them.

Thinking of you, miss you . . .

Valentines, and birthdays, too.

Birthday., blank note cards and thank you cards were contributed by Mary Kay R and Cory D, too - 33 in total.

Her total box?  210 cards - a big shipment that arrived on our doorstep!  We thank Melissa, Mary Kay, Cory and the employees of Roark Data for your help and for supporting our troops!

Texas Trust Bank Employees Stamp Again!

They hadn't planned to send this box:

But according to the note Sara T sent along with her box, 2 of their branches couldn't join them in Cuervo to stamp and asked that she take the "show on the road" - the result? 178 cards!

Sara contributed the pens - we include these in the boxes as there is room.  After all, our servicemen and women need something to write WITH on these beautiful cards!

TTB's cards this month?  Valentines, thank you, birthday a few Christmas and blank note cards.

We're not sure if we posted pictures Sara sent of the volunteers at Texas Trust Bank making cards - so we are posting them in case we overlooked it!

Sara's comment about the photos:'

I'm attaching a couple of pictures from our last event, September 30th, at the bank.  Fun was had by all!

Everyone really enjoys seeing the blog posts with pictures of our cards and the e-mail from one of the soldiers that you received and mentioned that he used one of our cards really hit home.

In the pictures is one of our employees Alisha J and her mother Debbie, and soon to be sister-in-law Brittany.  Her brother, Joseph W is a Specialist E-4 in the Army and was on his way home for a 2 week leave the night of our event.  Brittany and Joseph are getting married in 2 days, October 9th before he has to go back overseas!

We thank Sara for sending us the photos and to Texas Trust Bank and their employees for their continued support!

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Your contributions to help us move in to our new space is needed and appeciated!  Paypal contributions are appreciated - the link is on the right side bar or contributions may be mailed to From Our Hearts, PO Box 105243, Jefferson City, MO  65110.  All contributions are tax deductible and letters for tax purposes are sent upon request.  We thank you for your support!

From Our Hearts is Making Valentines in Sugar Grove Dec 4

This coming Saturday, December 4th is Holiday in the Grove in Sugar Grove.  This is the 2nd biggest community event of the year in Sugar Grove !  There will be something for everyone during the 9-3 event time.  You can see the schedule at the Sugar Grove Chamber site www.sugargrovechamber.org and within the text click on the schedule and bring it with you so you don't miss anything! 

Be sure to stop by John Shields Elementary building where you will find From Our Hearts and you can make a donation, buy a set of cards, holiday tags or bookmark, and sit down and make a Valentine Card - or two!  

Stop by and see Julie Wilson, our From Our Hearts volunteer, if you are in the area - she hopes to see lots of familiar faces there!