Let me don my teacher hat, and share with you how I write Any Hero Mail for Operation Write Home. Your cards don't have to be patriotic. You can even use (gasp) store bought cards. I spent some time thinking about how I've done this over the years and realized I have a basic formula.
1st paragraph - Greeting
2nd paragraph - Around Here
3rd paragraph - Closing, Thank You
This is what works for me. The "around here" paragraph is what seems to stump people.
Here's what I wrote in 8 cards this weekend:
March 30, 2013
Greetings from Charlotte, NC! I hope this card finds you safe and well.
From my window, I see signs of spring. Trees are greening and budding, and birds are chirping and singing. I love this season.
Thank you for your service to our country. I can't imagine being so far from home for so long, and I appreciate all you do. Know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of many grateful Americans.
Take care,
Dixie Cochran
If you're writing in a card, you have limited space. Drafting your message before writing will help you make adjustments for length. You can use the same message for multiple cards, but remember to band them together for your shipper. I usually mark them as "all alike" or "same author."
When I go to a school for students to write Any Hero Mail, we do some brainstorming before they begin a draft. I list their ideas on the board. (Thinking Maps - Circle Map for you teachers out there!) This gets students thinking, and sharing ideas is always a plus.
Take a moment to brainstorm some ideas to include in your next Any Hero messages. I'll begin a list, and I hope you will add your ideas in the comment section. I think our Heroes appreciate hearing about "normal" things. When I was a shipper for OWH, I got the most wonderful responses from my contacts when I included a picture of dogwood blooms with the Legend of the Dogwood taped to the back.
- sports
- hobbies
- celebrations
- jokes/riddles
- pets
- gardens (I love writing about tomatoes)
- children's antics
- music
- fun/positive things from the news
- books
- seasonal events
I hope you'll help me expand the "what to write" list! I'll update my post periodically.
Thanks Dixie. This is very helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dixie. I'm one of those that gets stumped on what's happening around here.
ReplyDeleteI've never written any "Hero Mail" because I was clueless as to what should be written on them. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Sue. I've never written any "Any Hero Mail" as I hadn't had an idea of what to write. This post helps tremendously! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI too Dixie use something like your formula. I usually tell them I am from Ohio and some things about my city. I then tell them a little about myself (my likes etc.) I always thank them for their bravery and sacrifice. I tell them what I did that day like get a custard or go to a ball game or something they can get a picture of in their mind. The soldiers that have wrote back to me are the ones that received any hero cards about my Ohio sports teams!
ReplyDeleteMy AnyHero letters follow much the same format as yours, but I *LOVE* your brainstorming list the most. Maybe we should re-post this over on the FB page AND to the OWH website - this is great for people who don't know how to get started. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...I have been slacking on this...your post has inspired me.!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dixie, this is a good tool to have. I cannot tell you how many times I have stared at a blank Any Hero card wondering what to put in it.
ReplyDeletethanks for the suggestions Dixie!! I have been feeling guilty for not including any in my packages.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dixie for this simple idea for Any Hero cards. I'll be sure to put more in our packages in the future.
ReplyDeleteKaki DiCarlo
Scrappin' Yats of Lacombe LA
Good suggestions. I haven't written many but it was a little daunting to figure out what to write. I will keep your ideas in mind next time.
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent, Dixie! Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great ideas! It makes me more comfortable writing them.
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing Dixie-- thank you so much for sharing this-- I am off to create some AnyHero cards!
ReplyDeleteI never really thought that they'd be interested in who was sending the card (with everything they have on their minds) so I keep it to a simple "Thank you for your service. My family and I greatly appreciate it. You are continually in our thoughts and prayers." I just may start adding a line or two about more "fun" things.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I challenged myself at the start of Lent to write one Any Hero letter a day. I keep blank cards in a handy spot where I am frequently so I can stop, spend 5 minutes and feel good. I hope others will do likewise.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dixie. I don't do many Any Hero cards because I don't know what to say. This has been a big help.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the list of ideas! I am new to the any Hero mail. I haven't belonged to OWH for very long and had no idea what to write.
ReplyDeleteI've only written one Any Hero card and it was for a blog hop challenge. Your list of ideas and example give me a much better idea of where to start. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteA couple of other ideas, maybe...why you love living in the city/state you're located in. Favorite books/tv show/movie.
Thank you for the info, Dixie. I need to add some Any Hero mail to my box of cards.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas. I get stumped sometimes and fear my notes are boring and the same in every card. I have a list from the OWH page from early on, but these are great tips. And thank you for all your hard work when you were a shipper. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThis is great!!!! I've already written in the AHC I'm sending in soon, but will use this formula in the future. Appreciate the tip about banding 'all the same". THANKS!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTerrific post Dixie! This will help a lot of us (myself included) to be a little less hesitant to write Any Hero mail. It's a reminder that it's really a small thing that means a lot to those who are serving for us and who is more deserving then our heroes? No one of course. :)
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ReplyDeleteThank you for the ideas, Dixie. I pretty much follow your formula, but haven't put much about my everyday life. Usually just letting them know we are thinking of them and thanking for their service. Will tell them a little more, now! Please post something like this on Fb so we can share. I've been trying to get the word out that the shippers need more cards!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. I admit I find it difficult to write AnyHero cards other than just to say thanks for their service.
ReplyDeleteI too follow a similar formula. I always tell them a little about what's going on here in Az. Lately, I've been telling them about my Heritage (Native American) and about something funny that happened to me. Today's letters will include how I was almost attacked by a feral cat that got into my car. Never a dull moment over here. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dixie. Loved the encouragement. I too write something about my life on that particular day - my last favorite thing was on the day the space shuttle flew over and all the excitement it caused locally.
ReplyDelete~Joan in Lodi, CA
Thanks Dixie! This is a great post, I use a very similar formula, I start out Hello from Minnesota, I hope this note finds you safe and well. I then talk about weather, since here we have extremes (I always put a positive spin on it, even a blizzard)or gardening, or a funny story about my young grandchildren. State Fair time is fun, because I often tell them about all the silly foods Minnesotans try to put on a stick. I always end by thanking them. One of my favorite lines is,"Thank you for all you do for our great country. America is great because of people like you. You make us proud to be Americans." And I always sign off with Godspeed.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI've never put my address or e-mail on a card so haven't received a reply. Here are some things I've included:
- newspaper article about a local man who has antique tractors - and put "To a hero interested in old tractors" on the outside of the envelope. In the letter I'd write about my grandfather's old tractor.
- same thing for news articles
about vintage cars. In the letter, include the type of car I learned to drive in. I'm old, so it's vintage now!
- funny cartoon from the paper, and write about it some in the letter
- the local weather, the birds in the yard, what's blooming, silly things my cats do, just any activity I'm doing. A taste of normal home life, which our heroes are fighting to protect.
I did a program on the Star Spangled Banner for an organization I belong to, and have my notes typed up. I plan to include the notes in some Any Hero Mail soon.
Are you a mind reader?
ReplyDeleteI was on line this morning searching for info on composing ANY HERO CARDS!!!
I have about 24 ready to write in. THANK YOU!
Teacher. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful, informative post. Thank you for sharing these great tips!
Dixie, this was a wonderful post. I sometimes stumble over what to say. Sometimes pretending I know who it is going to helps it be less formal. Thank you for taking the time to help us encourage our Heroes!
ReplyDeleteDixie, thanks for your post, that's what I try to do, but wondered if it was "okay". Thanks for the assurance! :)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work.
I've never written an Any Hero Card. I'm an AMATUER photographer and I love to take local pictures (wild flowers, old barns, courthouses, etc.). Is it appropriate to include such pictures?
ReplyDeleteHi Dixie! I was happy to share this post with several ladies at a craft day I attended yesterday. It got them to write in all the Any Hero cards I brought with me (27!)! Thank you, again, for taking the time to put this together. And thank you for being a wonderful "elf" for OWH! ;)
ReplyDeletethank you for this list! It's very helpful to know what to say. I guess I'm like many people with the same comments. I'm pretty boring so I didn't know what to say except thank you to the heroes.
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