Hi all,

I am flying from Minneapolis to San Diego next Monday, and I would like to take along post cards for other passengers to write out for the troops. I know some of you have done this in the past, and I am looking for your input. When is the best time to approach the flight attendants about doing this?  How many postcards did you bring? Do you provide pens to write with, too? Anything else you can think of?

Thank you!

 Hi Cheryl -

   so glad to hear you're doing post cards with a captive audience!   When we flew on Southwest Airlines, the flight attendants were very accomodating.  I approached them as soon as we boarded, and they were very receptive to the idea.  They asked if I wanted to pass them out, being a wee bit shy, I asked if they would do it. 

   They announced it on their intercom,  (you should have something written up -  I can supply you with what I had written) .  They then passed them out to whomever wanted one  or two or three, and the passengers used their own pens to write with. 

     I only had an hour and twenty minute flight, you should do well with your longer flights.  I brought 100 or so post cards, trying to figure out on how many passengers would be on the flights.  Both flights were not packed.  

   The neat thing is, the Anysoldier Marine contact that I sent them to,  actually had the time to respond to all those writers who included an email address.  I was so impressed!

Thanks for the info, Deni!  I'll let you know how it goes!!

Wow, what timing!!!  I was just thinking of this on my way to work this mornning. Thought I would ask about it and look it's here.   As my neighbor would say "it's an omen". Deni, could you post what you wrote?  What type of post cards did you guys use?  Regular white ones or picture ones from stuff in your area? I am flying to TX next month and was wondering if anyone had done this. Cheryl, could you post how your flight does with it when you get home? Captive audiences are great!!! 

Sqdancr

 So glad to see that 2 of our junkies are using this opportunity to allow others to help out with sending cards to our troops.  Captive audiences are most of the time, willing participants. 

  I picked up 4 x 6 blank index cards and hand stamped a stenciled flag on one side, leaving the other side blank for the passenger to write on.  I also found a box of "Waxtex" waxed paper bags at the grocery store (yellow box) and placed one card in each bag.  It made it easier for the attendants to hand out.  Each card fit it perfectly, and then I fold the rest over. I place the bags with the cards back into the yellow box to carry them safely onto and off the plane. 

 I wrote this in a hurry on the first plane ride after a flight attendant asked me what to say, (DUH! a gentle slap up against the side of my head).    Tweak it around to what you want it to say, and be prepared for the flight attendants to add their own kind words. 

  "There's a lady on board who sends monthly care packages to our troops. One thing the troops always mention is how nice it is to receive mail from folks back home.  

   There are cards available today for those of you who would like to say Thanks. 

   Include your address and email.  If the troops find time to write you back, they will.

   The flight attendants will be handing these out during the flight and picking them up when you are finished.  

   Thank You!"

As I said, I wrote it in a hurry, and there must be a more poetic way of stating the facts that need to be said.

  I also copied down the names and email addresses of those who included it, sent my own email "Thank You" to them with information about AnySoldier.com.  I took a photo of the crew, got their email addresses, and sent them a "Thank You" also.  Of course the care package I sent out to our troops also got a photo of the crew along with the cards.  Such fun. 

Have fun with it, hopefully all flight attendants are as nice as the Southwest crews that I've met.  

Let us know how it goes............

Deni,

  Thanks for the "script" and other suggestions! I actually have been stockpiling regular postcards for this--designs vary, including American flags, eagles, other wildlife, etc. They'll be able to use the whole back of the cards for writing since they won't have to include the troops' address. I'm flying Northwest--hope they will be as accommodating as the attendants on SW were! I will let you know how it turns out!!

Hugs!

Hi all,

This postcards on a plane thing sounds great to me.  And since I am flying Jet Blue (first time on this airline) to California on Tues, I thought I'd give it a try.  I know if I were  passenger with the opportunity I would jump at the chance.  Anyway, I looked for the 4x6 cards and waxtex bags at my last trip to Krogers...they only had lined cards and no bags.  So I bought a pad of stationary and envelopes and have folded a sheet of paper and put into each of 80 envelopes.  I'm thinking that should work and be easy to hand out.

I have some concerns and hope you can help.  One is with the passengers sealing the envelopes...then I can't thank them and pass along anysoldier.com.  But I hate to ask them not to seal it...like they would think I want to read what they wrote (well, I sorta do, but that's not the point).  Maybe I can mention the website in my notes to the stewardess instead?    The other concern is that if they know who they are writing to it might help...like I could write "medic" or "wounded soldier" or " soldier" or "airman" or "sailor" on the envelope  or even just "any soldier"?   Or should I bother at all.  Or if I don't, who knows what they will write on the envelope (now I see the beauty of cards and no envelopes!)

Thanks

Well the beauty of the envelopes is that you can write and xerox a little note of instructions that sticks out so they see it before they start writing.  You can ask that they leave the envelopes open (I tell people that I read all notes prior to sending for security reasons, although so far I have never had a bad one).  You can direct how you would like the envelopes done...I would tell people to leave them blank as they will be sent to those most in need at the time and it could be a soldier, a marine or a wounded warrior of unknown service branch etc. and suggest Dear American Hero as the opening for them to write inside.  You can suggest people write their return address and their email address on the inside paper if they want the possibility of an answer, realizing that that may not be possible.  Then you can highlight AnySoldier.com and suggest they get involved when they get home if they like.  If you have those little AS business sized cards, you could put one in each envelope as well.  Sounds like you're in for some fun.  Thanks for doing this!

Kathy

I love that the postcards-on-a-plane has been catching on so wonderfully! (And every time the thread title pops up in my email box, I have to laugh coz it makes me think of that snake movie, lol.)

Notes in envelopes sounds fine, but you can probably just hand out the paper and put them in envelopes later. Kathy's idea of putting instructions in is great, but you might be making this harder on yourself than needed.That's the beauty of postcards---no need to explain someone will read them before sending them, and the paper without envelope would do the same.

And remember, the more you explain, the more places you can run into things you have to explain; I've done this about 10 times now, and when I tried to explain things it got convoluted. If I just say to the crew, "I send a lot of care packages to the troops and would like to give the passengers a chance to write a note I can include," it seems to be easiest on everyone, and I only get friendly questions about how it works---rather than, "You do wha...? Any-what website?" On the postcards I make,  I just stamp "Dear hero" on the side they write on, and the passengers take it from there. (With the stationery you could just run it through your laser printer.) Some will sign with name/addy, some will include an email address, some just a name or no name at all. I don't bother telling them unless they ask.

As more of us do this---even though there are a lot of planes and a lot of flight attendants out there---making the explanation and logistics easy for the crew and really thanking them nicely will be helpful the next time someone follows on their flight and asks to do the same. :) Happy flying!!

 Thanks Kathy and Colourful for the suggestions!  Because of time constraints, I have decided to  just use the flight attendants speech as above and have them hand out the folded sheets of paper.  I am going for the less is more.  If I do this again I will definitely look around for the blank cards.  Althought the idea of an attached note is one I had not thought of.  I can later sort them according to salutation if necessary as I am supporting several different groups.   Thanks again, I'll let you know how it goes. 

 What I can say about sealed envelopes - it's your duty to protect the troops you are sending these to.  How would you know if it was a kind letter or a hate mail if you didn't open it up?  Quality control is very important to me. 

I wouldn't write anything on the envelope.  Perhaps like mentioned above,  don't include the envelope. 

Hi Gang!!

I'm back from sunny San Diego, and it is snowing here in WI!! But, my daughter and I had a great time, and I have lots to tell!

First, the postcards: believe it or not, one of the Northwest flight attendants on my return trip has sent over 1200 packages using anysoldier.com!!!!   Her name is Molly, and she is from Seattle. Her boyfriend is an Army neurosurgeon who has served 3 tours in Iraq!! When she heard my request to have passengers write postcards for the troops, she made an eloquent announcement about what I was doing and how they could participate. I had brought 80 cards, and 50 were written out!  Molly talked to me for 15 minutes after collecting the finished cards, and showed me several pictures of her boyfriend with Iraqi children that he had operated on.  It was really amazing to connect with another person who "gets it"!! 

 Tues. night we had dinner with one of my sailors who is now stationed in San Diego, his wife, and 3 kids!! I had written to him when he was on the USS Essex in the Persian Gulf in 2004-05, and we have stayed in touch since then. I held their 5-month-old baby boy all through dinner, we had non-stop conversation, took pictures, and then they gave us a mini-tour of San Diego! It was like spending an evening with dear friends that I have known a long time--not like a first meeting at all!

Wed. afternoon we went to Mission Beach, and the driver who took us was asking about the things we'd done so far in SD. I mentioned having dinner with the sailor the night before and how I'd gotten to know him. The driver was a former pilot who flew medical transports for wounded warriors after they returned to the States!!!  He thought it was wonderful when I told him about anysoldier.com, sending packages, the card swaps, etc. He also took us back to the hotel after our beach excursion, and on both trips he returned the tip I gave him and told me to "use it for your packages."   He said it was an honor to meet me!  I have gotten home feeling so energized about what we are all doing and knowing how many terriffic people there are out there supporting the troops in one way or another.

Thanks, Deni and Sandy, for sharing your idea and advice!

Hugs from (co-o-old) WI,

Hi Junkies,

 I bumped this up because I need a pep talk...I'm headed from So Cal up to Seattle in a couple of weekends, and trying to muster up the courage to do the cards on the plane thing...

I re-read this thread, and gathered that most flight attendants seem to be receptive (and nobody reported having their head bitten off at the suggestion), simple is better (postcards with no envelopes), and bring more cards than I think I might need as the response is usually good from the other passengers.

Is that it?  And do I really have the guts to pull it off?  Kind of scary...

Thanks everyone,

Kate

 Hey Kate,

    you can do it !   

     It's good to have a little ditty that the flight attendant can read off of unless you've got the guts to read it yourself. 

     Let us know if you need some more cheering on before you go!   

GO KATE! (shouted cheerleader style)

GO KATE!

GO KATE!