With the hopes of bringing a little touch of home to service members during the holiday season, the American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter is sponsoring its second Holiday Mail for Heroes program.
"This is a great way for people of all ages - kids and adults - to send holiday greetings to the men and women who are defending our freedoms," said Dave Griffith, the Red Cross chapter's executive director. "We're encouraging people to take a few minutes out of their day to let our military members know how much we support them and how much we appreciate their sacrifice and service."
The Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which began nationally in 2006, allows schools, organizations and companies to create and write cards to military members, and the Red Cross delivers the cards to military members stationed overseas and locally.
Columbia Insurance Group and Commerce Bank are sponsoring the project, and the Red Cross is providing the cards.
The chapter is hosting a card signing from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Capital Mall.
"All people need to do is spend a little time writing a note," Griffith said. "We will take care of the rest."
Last year, the chapter sent nearly 1,000 cards to military members, and has prepared 2,500 cards for this year's program.
In 2012, the national program sent nearly 1.5 million cards.
For more information about Holiday Mail for Heroes, call 635-1132.