BOCA RATON – Troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq recently received Valentine’s cards from young people in Boca Raton intended to be personalized and returned to the soldier’s mothers, fathers, spouses, children, friends or others.
In all, 4,000 of these cards were designed, printed, folded and stuffed into envelopes by members of the TRI-ACTS Computer Club in Boca Raton. An additional 3,000 cards were printed, folded and stuffed into envelopes by the West Boca High School, thanks to the efforts of Lisa Ann Rader, a member the Civil Air Patrol Boca Raton Composite Squadron.
West Boca High Principal Mark Stenner contributed 1,000 cards. The other 2,000 cards were printed using donations from the staff and students of West Boca Raton High School and from private donations. Mr. Steranko of the printing department turned out 3,000 cards in two days.
Colonel S. Buddy Harris of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary, directed this program as he has for the past three years. Similarly Col. Harris ships tens of thousands of Christmas cards to U.S. fighting forces all over the globe every year. Harris said he feels the effort stimulates the sender and develops feelings of love and appreciation from the receiver. Therefore, for Valentine’s Day, he feels this program creates deep feelings among no fewer than 14,000 people.
Five large cartons filled with Valentine cards were sent to Civil Air Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Dewey Painter in Jacksonville. Col. Painter is the trans-shipper of materials to American troops. He and his team have sent hundreds of thousands of pounds of personal items needed so critically by fighting men and women.
For more information, visit www.capboca.org, www.flwg.us and www.gocivilairpatrol.com
The Boca Raton Composite Squadron meets Tuesday evenings 6:30 to 9 at Boca Raton Airport, northernmost gate near Lynn University’s Flight School Building.