Holiday Cards for the Troops

Letter from Governor Quinn

Frequently Asked Questions For Teachers and Principals

Who will receive the cards?

Governor Quinn will hand deliver the holiday cards created by your students to soldiers, doctors and nurses at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. This hospital is the largest military hospital outside the continental United States. The hospital cares for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan and it also serves as a general hospital for our Servicemembers overseas. We are honoring our Servicemembers with these cards, but it is important to remember the doctors and nurses who are spending their holidays caring for our heroes.

What should the cards say? And are letters welcome?

All cards and letters are welcome and your students should feel free to speak from the heart. Servicemembers enjoy receiving encouraging words from home in any form. "Holiday" cards apply to all holidays celebrated during the month of December.

To whom should the cards be addressed?

These cards will go to heroes of all types: active-duty Servicemembers, doctors, nurses, veterans, wounded warriors and supporting military staff. While students should feel free to use creativity, we suggest writing "Dear Hero".

How should the cards be packaged? Will anybody write back?

Please package all of the cards and letters created by your students into one bundle using ribbon or a box to keep your cards together. Though a response is not guaranteed, some Servicemembers may choose to take the opportunity to write back to your classroom if you also include a note with school contact information.

Where should the cards be mailed to?

The Office of Governor Pat Quinn
James R. Thompson Center
100 West Randolph Street, Suite 16-100
Chicago, Illinois 60601

Do I have to be a student to participate?

While all Illinois citizens are encouraged to write and send care packages to our heroes overseas, this particular project is limited to schoolchildren. Members of the general public are encouraged to look into local organizations currently accepting care packages, such as USO Illinois or Operation Support Our Troops Illinois.