Across the globe, there are thousands of Canadian soldiers deployed in dozens of countries.
Across Aurora and beyond, residents will once again write thousands of Christmas and holiday cards to send to those troops, who will be away from home during the holiday season.
The program, dubbed RED (Remember Everyone deployed) is spearheaded by Aurora’s Dianne and Brian Harrison, who have been running the program for nearly two decades, picking up the baton from friend Vhonda Harper, who first came up with the idea, when she had a son stationed overseas.
In that time, the number of cards sent has grown from 50 in the early years to 9,432 cards last year. This time around, the goal is to send 10,000 cards, with about 4,000 cards already collected, with 3,000 coming from Optimist Club of Aurora members.
“All I want to do is send a plane full of love from back home, to let our soldiers know we care, we’re thinking about them and they’re in our thoughts and prayers,” she said.
The cards are collected in shoe boxes — which are donated by Aurora business Omar's Shoes — decorated with Canadian flags, and sent to military chaplains where Canadians are deployed around the world, as well as some Canadian Navy bases in B.C. and Nova Scotia.
The pair won a Queen’s Jubilee Award in 2023, in part for their work on the campaign.
Boxes where cards can be dropped off are located at:
- Town of Aurora office, 100 John West Way
- Town of Aurora Joint Operations Centre, 229 Industrial Pkwy. N.
- The Aurora Public Library, 15145 Yonge St.,
- Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex, 1400 Wellington St. E.
- Allegra Printing, 305 Industrial Pkwy S., unit 21
- Northridge Community Church, 15338 Leslie St.
- Aurora Seniors Centre, 90 John West Way
- Aurora Royal Canadian Legion Branch 385, 105 Industrial Pkwy. N.
- The Auroran, 15213 Yonge St., suite 8
- And the front lobby of 15 Brookland Ave.
The first pick-up of cards will be collected on Nov. 18, with the second pick-up on Nov. 25 and then the final pick-up on Dec. 2, to ensure the cards are delivered in time for Christmas.
More information, contact [email protected].
