The Birthday Wish

Hey Guys!

Ashley here (as always). Today is my birthday and I am up calling the first veteran facilities of the year. Each year I get so excited for this day, but by tomorrow I will have given out all of the cards that we worked all year to sign. Unfortunately, there will still be facilities on my list that I didn't get to call. I am always hit with a bit of sadness that I think will linger until I am able to leave messages at all of the facilities in our nation. Luckily, I'm also so overjoyed at what we have accomplished! 10,000 cards for the last two years! We're only at 8,925 right now, but we will get to 10,000 again this year. I'm sure of it! That is 10,000 lives that we have the ability to change, and I'm so greatful for your help.

We were blessed by a huge donation from the Giamportone's this year. A gift of $1000. That will send ALL of this year's cards, and I we couldn't be more appreciative of these friends.

I have had a few friends, family, and volunteers ask what I want for my birthday. The Art of Encouragement is my passion and all I can ask for is your support. Each year, so many of you fight the crowds the day after Christmas to buy the clearance Christmas cards, you spend the year signing them until the holidays roll around again. Then you fight the crowd at the post office to send your cards my way, and even slip a $20 bill in the package to help send the cards off again.

I'm so greatful for YOU this holiday season. YOU have helped this dream become a reality. YOU have made it what it is today.

So, for my birthday, I'm asking for your help...again

For my birthday, I ask that you swing by the closest store, buy a box of Christmas cards and sign them.
It probably won't make it to this year's card count, but I really am determined to make it to 12,000 next year. I WILL call every facility someday!

For my birthday, I ask that, if you don't want to send signed cards, that you click the donate button below and give $10.
Do you know what your $10 can do? It can send 100 cards to our veterans. It can help pay for the plane ticket of a lovely young photographer who takes the time out of her busy holiday schedule to shoot pictures of us passing out cards to veterans at the airport. It can send an envelope full of encouraging letters to a hero who may think that no one cares about what he went through. It can fill up my gas tank so I can drive to the boonies to shake a dying hero's hand and let him know he's not forgotten. It can print inserts and business cards so when someone asks why I'm buying 2 carts fulls of cards after Christmas, I can tell them who we are and give them something to remember us by. It can also help buy those cart fulls of Christmas cards. =)

Please, if you're reading this, I ask that you promise to buy a box of cards and sign them, or donate $10. This dream is going to continue to grow, but I can't do it without you. For my birthday, I just wish for your help.

Thank you and have a wonderful holiday season,
Ashley Hyde-Fuhr
Founder of The Art of Encouragment