Honorary Mayor Tammy Holmberg is teaming up with Stampin’ Up! demonstrator Jeri Fontana to send cards to troops overseas. The pair is holding a card making event on World Card Making Day, Saturday, October 4 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country club, located at 2721 S. Miller Rd in Valrico.
Holmberg said she became involved in this event because “nothing means more than getting a hand written card in the mail” especially when loved ones are away.
They are planning to make 1,500 cards to send to the troops. The cards will be holiday cards and will be sent over blank for the troops to fill out to their family members and friends. Fontana has been in the Army and has been deployed twice; her husband is currently deployed so she understands the meaning of getting a handwritten card in the mail.
When Fontana moved to Valrico from Colorado last August, she started this as a project with a military spouse support group. “I thought it would be a good way to meet people and give back to the community.”
She met Holmberg through FishHawk Area Networking Group (FANG) when she announced this “round” of dates for cards for the troops. She makes cards for the troops “quarterly,” she said.
Over this past year, she has sent cards for the holidays, Mother’s Day and all occasion cards. The Plant City Juniorettes made Valentine’s Day cards to send over for the troops (not to be filled out by them and sent back). Holmberg approached Fontana after her announcement and said, “We could do something bigger.”
Recently, Fontana received one of her own cards back in the mail from Tom in the 345th CSH. It read, “I put cards where everyone could get one and they were literally gone in one day.”
Sponsors for the event are the Bank of Tampa, Brandon South Rotary, Chick-fil-A and the Osprey Observer; however, more sponsors are still needed with sponsorship levels of $50, $100 and $150.
Also needed are addresses for deployed troops overseas. If you or anyone you know can provide addresses, please send them via e-mail to jerifontana2001@yahoo.com. For more information on this event, e-mail Fontana or call 684-3415.
