Health

Helena group sending Valentines to troops

Posted: Jan 26, 2013 9:56 PM by Lindsey Gordon - MTN News

HELENA - Some people were getting crafty at the Capital Hill Mall on Saturday making Valentines cards to send to deployed troops.

These cards will be sent overseas sometime next week and some will be distributed to patients at the VA hospital.

Montana Supporting Soldiers has worked tirelessly, year-round, to make sure that these men and women get a piece of home and that they can also send something back to their loved ones for Valentine's Day.

"We've already sent some blank cards and stickers and stuff that they can decorate and hopefully send back to their sweeties and kids," said Liann Meyer, the president of Montana Supporting Soldiers.

Some decorating cards knew firsthand the value that sending cards and letters has to those who have been deployed: "I know for my friends that were over there, it was really important. When they came back, they really thanked me for the letters. I mean, they don't get a lot over there sometimes, so I think it's nice," said Shayla Shaw, who is from Minnesota and currently visiting her mother in Helena with her two boys.

Shaw wants to show those men and women who are deployed that someone is caring and thinking about them and she thinks it's a good lesson for her children to learn, too.

"Everybody needs to know that they're cared about. Whether it be the holidays or wherever you are, I think it's really important that you just care about other people. It's important that kids realize and know that there are things that go on in the world and that there are people out there that need other people," added Shaw.

Many of those making cards felt like it was the least they could do.

"Any chance that we get to send stuff over to them to remind them, 'Hey, we're still here and that we support what you're doing.' You know, they volunteered to do this. They weren't made to go, they volunteered to go and spend their time somewhere else," said Rob Bird, who was there decorating with his daughter, Anja.

Meyer is currently working on sending more care packages and says that the troops have been asking for two things that they can never get enough of: beef jerky and coffee.

If you'd like to make a donation or learn more, please visit the Montana Supporting Soldiers website, here.

Meyer said that over Christmas time, they were able to give care packages to around a thousand troops with the help of the people of Helena and surrounding communities across the state.