I searched and didn't see this addressed anywhere, hope I'm not bringing up something that has already been addressed.

 I have a hard time trying to think of things to write in my letters, so I was wondering what you guys do. If I have 20 soldiers in a unit I'm supporting, would it be ok to just write the one letter, make 20 copies and send them to the contact to pass out?? They would all be reading the same thing, but I would be hard pressed to come up with 20 different letters each week.

 Any suggestions??

Thanks

In my experience, just make one copy to place inside a package.  Often a letter is read to the group, or posted on a bulletin board, or kept in a binder for all to read. When people send multiple letters or cards it is often, for example, a pack of variety Valentines, or a box of letters from school children, or different postcards from a support group. 

For variety I pack Sunday comics, clip out "news of the weird" a weekly column in our local paper, or I might copy a funny e mail I received.  I change my letters every month, and usually include some photo in the letter.  Since we have had a string of below zero weather in Minnesota, my latest photo brain child is to take a photo with us wearing  fleece balaclavas with only our eyes showing.  The idea of course is something for the troops to laugh or talk about.  You can't go too wrong with humorous tales or photos. Don't forget any family pets stories or photos.   If I have writers block I will ask someone else in the family to write a letter for variety.  You will see on the contact posts, they really like letters and drawings from kids.  When I am writing to a group from the midwest I will often describe our weekend life but make it a seasonal description such as eating sweet corn, or a fall walk with brilliant tree colors.  It gives them a moment to connect back home.

And of course they want to know that they are remembered, they have your support and prayers.  If you can't think of what else to say, then write an encouraging note for someone who is away from home, missing friends and family, and wants to know they are not forgotten. 

 

OK Dawn, heres the way it goes.  I am an oldster on a fixed income and I can only afford just so many care packages so I have to rely on letters and cards. I have arthritis so I have to type my letters to the soldiers. I type one newsy, upbeat, full of admiration and compassion letter once a week.  I make several copies and I mail out as many as the stamps hold out.  I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS.  The soldiers just want to hear from someone and to have something to hold in their hands.  Something that shows we care.  I want to reach as many soldiers as I can. I address the letter in longhand and write my own salutation at the bottom and sign my name in pen.  I also add a sentence or two of something special in pen.  These soldiers are homesick and needing to hear from someone from their homeland.  Just to read it, hold it, and know that someone took the initial step to show their feelings. These young men and women are laying their lives on the line everyday.  The casuality list is stagering.  STEP UP AND SHOW THEM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

I read in here once that it was impersonal to do something like this.  I SAY BULL PUCKY!!!!  Just ask a soldier what he or she feels like after receiving a letter from America.  It not only benefits that soldier but also the whole platoon. I am so adament in my feelings about this issue I want to SHOUT it out.  Keep those letters, cards, and drawings moving to our wonderful men and women in uniform.  Everyday they give us a gift.  The gift of freedom.

OK little sister, get busy typing those letters and stamping those envelopes, times a wastin'.  Have a great day and thank you for being the type of person you are.

'SUPPORT OUR TROOPS IN ANY WAY WE CAN"

 

Hi Dawn and Graywolf,

I see nothing wrong with that either, in fact I do the same thing and tuck in a car air freshner with the letter when I am short on funds.  For me though, I mail those duplicate letters to different contact addresses rather than all to the same contact address.  Usually those go to troops from my home state.  That's just my personal choice. I figure nothing beats a letter from home, even if it is someone they have never met.  And when I am really short on funds, I switch to postcards.  Many troops talk about seeing nothing but brown sand, brown rocks, brown clothes.  So a photo postcard that has water, green, scenic places might be just the thing to remind them of the beautiful USA.

In my experience our guys and gals pass the letters around anyway, I would think one copy to a contact is probably the best way to go.  Do make copies, and then send them to more than one contact.  Just my two cents worth...

We have kind of a "Cover Letter".  It tells about our family, how proud we are of our Troops, how we found AnySoldier.com, etc.  Then I always hand write a page.  In it, I write what I did that day.  I find the readers LOVE the mundain day-to-day stories.  Then 2 drawings the kids made and staple the package together.

Hello Dawn.....what I do is just get to my computer and type a letter....usually of what I've been up to in the last week or so with my family, volunteering, etc.   I only make the one letter.   Also what I do is print out some of my silly emails (and dont we all get enough of them!!!)   I will copy and then paste to word perfect so all the other stuff isn't getting printed out to.   The people I send them to love them.    I try to keep it fairly clean as some people might find offense to it.   I also send the Sunday comics and maybe a puzzle or two (of course with the answers from the next day's paper).    Did you see my suggestion of using the "super heros" stamps.   I bought a sheet of these at the PO the other day and let my soldiers know..........by using the stamps that they are my SUPER  HErOES (I'll make mention of it in the letter).   A few months ago I would not have purchased those stamps.......now I find myself thinking constantly of my troops whenever I'm out.   I also go to our local library and they have bins or magazines for free.   People in the community put them there as does the library when they need to clean up.   I don't think anyone minds reading something a few months old.      More ideas will come to you before you know it.

Welcome to the forum.............love and peace............Anne Marie

:-) I like to write about Gratitude for their service and what it means to have someone who doesnt know me "have my back" Over there fighting for my freedoms, and also the freedoms for those who have suffered for so long, Incredible Valour, Courage & Spirit.

I think about them when I am sitting on a Clean, Flushable, Private, Toilet, let alone when I look at my taps in my house that I can turn on and have both Hot/Cold & Clean running water come out of..these are things I take for granted EVERY Day. Just Two Mini Luxuries.

I write about my dogs and their antics, last one sent was 12 pages long haha a BOOK! A pup with a fondness for Chewing became an Arizona DogFish:-) Let him in one night with a Tri-Barbed hook hanging from his lower lip. Took a Pic and sent it PLUS I sent the HOOK. haha! (no dog attached though).  Its the little Daily stuff that we look at differently and can come up with humor in it once we look at it from their perspective.

Loving, & Laughter & ( I thought of you today when...."forget the toilet part in that one haha")

My perspective on letters, Hugs Nanc ps. Our future Afghani Nascar Driver pic on the Left , CUTE as a Button!!

I have 22 right now and in the first round of boxes I put a "Info page about myself and family" a long with a questionaire for them to complete and return if theny wish. Then as I get replies I write each of them a personal letters.  

I wish every family in American would adopt a soldier ( just one soldier) to show support and make his or her life wonderful but I don't see that ever happening.  I support 2 soldiers full time with packages, letters, and cards because thats all my finances will allow me at this time.

This post is about letters and cards.  I go to newest contacts and send out one support letter and card to each new contact which he will show to his platoon buddies.  Sometimes I will send an occasional care package if I have alot of something. I feel we should contact as many soldiers as we can.  Not just stop at a handful.  I have purchased several boxes of patriotic cards at about $1.00 per card.  This I send with a copy letter that has been personalized in some way.  (signed signature and a couple of sentences in longhand.) 

 

"WITHOUT OUR TROOPS THERE WILL BE NO FREEDOM, WITHOUT FREEDOM THERE WILL BE NO AMERICA"

"IN ENGLAND THE PEOPLE SAY "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN"

"IN AMERICAN WE SAY "GOD SAVE THE TROOPS"

 

I believe that there's no right or wrong way to right letters or show our support.  Because each of us is different, and each of our contacts is different, the way we show our support will be different.

I only support four to six groups at a time and I hand write all of my letters. Since I rarely know what happens with my letters and packages, it's usually one open letter for anyone in the group but there are times that I will do both an open letter and a separate letter just to my contact. Sometimes my handwriting is ok, sometimes it's pretty bad, sometimes my shoulder hurts to bad to write and no one gets a letter at all that week. I write each of them at least once a month, and really try for twice a month, regardless of whether or not I have email contact with them. I rarely keep copies of things, so I don't know what I said to who or even when/if I said something. Is each letter absolutely unique? No. Some stories are just to good to not share with everyone, so parts of a letter may be saying pretty much the same things if nothing else interesting has happened between my writing one soldier and the next. I write to them just like they are family.

I wrote my first letter today and after reading several posts I have already opened and written the letter twice. I also thought about this topic and decided to print a second copy to send another unit.

i send out 2 letters a day and i basically write the same thing cause my life doesnt change that much from day to day.i send them out to different contacts though.once a contact writes back to me i usually tell more about myself and they tell more about themselves.i think its perfectly fine to send out the same letter.

I have a basic typed out introductory letter I include in new contacts boxes. If sending more than one box to the same new contact I put the same letter in each one, not knowing who would actually be opening the box. In writing letters I usually write or type one as though I was writing to the group. They do get passed around or posted. When I get replies from an indivdual I then can write a more individual style letter in response. If I am sending holiday cards or post cards I write out each one individually saying what comes from forth from my heart... I feel as though the person who needs the message in a particular card will be the one who ends up with it. Smetimes I find various humorous cards and when I gather enough for each person in the group I will send them all together in a bigger envelope so all can have one.  If the contact person shares names of those in the group I can put their name on the individual envelope.