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It's in the cards for wounded military personnel
Group meets in Simi to fashion holiday greetings
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Photos by Troy Harvey / Special to The Star Susan Ansen helps prepare cards for assembly Sunday in Simi Valley. The holiday greetings will be sent to patients at California's veterans hospitals.
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Ema Horowitz, below, assembles a holiday card that will be sent to wounded military personnel. George Pyfrom, left, writes a personalized message in a card that he put together. The project was coordinated by Carol Conner in Simi Valley.
When the pastor of Carol Conner's church sent out an e-mail saying he'd like to send Christmas cards to wounded military personnel, she got an idea.
The Simi Valley resident teaches classes in card making and decided to hold a card-making session where people could create homemade cards for the men and women who served and are spending their holidays in California's veterans hospitals.
With help from local veterans, she publicized the event. Then she organized it. She printed card-making directions, prepared a buffet of food, and gathered her own card-making supplies for everyone to use.
The event was held Sunday afternoon at the United Methodist Church of Simi Valley.
Tables at the Erringer Road church were stocked with glitter and ribbon, stamps and rhinestones, stars and card stock. Double-sided tape, glue pens and a list of suggested wishes to insert in the cards were also on hand. "Thank you for all you have given for the freedom of our country," one of the suggestions read. "Bless you and merry Christmas."
There was a variety of cards to choose from, with names like "forest card" and "snowflake card."
"It's really nice that she's organized this," said Kathryn Sherman, who came from the Santa Clarita Valley. "She opened up her heart and organized all of this."
"She's wonderful," Pastor Lew Fry said. "She cares a lot about people."
Conner got choked up when asked why she went to all the trouble.
"My reason for doing this is I really don't think that there's enough that we can do for the men and women who serve the country," she said. "This is just one small way to let them know that we appreciate all that they've done for us.
"I love giving back to the community," she added. "That's what we're here for."
Posted by suzy0601 on December 17, 2007 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you so much for doing this. As a spouse of an injured servicemember, I know first hand how much of an impact these kinds of ideas have on our injured servicemebers. Please know that these will be truly appreciated.
Posted by Equitable_Enforcer on December 17, 2007 at 1:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you, Carol, for acting on your concerns for our wounded. It is bad enough to be in the service and away from home during the holidays. To be hospitalized and away from home would undoubtedly be depressing beyond words.
God bless you for what you are doing!
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