As the mother of a son who did three tours in Afghanistan for the Canadian military, Doreen Stonehouse knows how important it is to them to know we appreciate and respect their service to our country.
The Tilbury parent wanted to keep the tradition alive of sending Christmas cards to Canadian soldiers, a project previously undertaken by the Tilbury IODE chapter. Once the chapter folded due to lack of membership, Stonehouse and Donna Schmeltz decided to keep the project alive.
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Thursday, at the Tilbury Tim Horton’s, Stonehouse and Schmeltz set up shop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to ask people to write Christmas cards for the troops overseas and business was brisk.
“We feel it is so very important,” Stonehouse said. “We need to let the military men and women know we appreciate them.”
The pair had 500 cards at the Tim Hortons and hoped to get a total of 900 cards ready in time for Christmas with the help of the elementary school students in the area. The cards are boxed and sent free of charge to Belleville where they are shipped to wherever Canadian military forces are at Christmas.
“We’ve heard from soldiers who have received a card and they feel appreciated,” Stonehouse explained. “It makes them feel good to know they are loved and appreciated and helps them deal with their stress.”
Schmeltz said the Tilbury Tim Hortons management and staff have been wonderful and this is the second year they have been able to set up their card signing station there.
When she asked her son what the most important thing people can do for the soldiers who have served and are serving now, and she said he told her attending Remembrance Day services are one of the main things that show troops that they matter and people care about their service and sacrifice.
Volunteer Linda Montgomery helped out Thursday and said she thinks it’s a wonderful thing to do for the troops to show support.
