High schooler's Valentines-for-troops project goes global in 4th year
Amy Berger is going global this year in her attempt to collect a valentine for every soldier stationed overseas.
The Waubonsie Valley High School senior from Naperville is in her fourth year collecting the colorful cards to send to the troops.
This year she uploaded information about the project onto Dosomething.org and is now receiving dozens of valentines from around the United States and even a few other countries.
"It's just a really, really simple fun easy way to show soldiers we care because they do so much for us and don't ask for anything in return," Berger said. "And if you consider all they're sacrificing, it's a small price to pay to say how much we're thankful for them."
In the previous three years, Berger has sent a total of more than 150,000 Valentines to the troops. Last year alone the project netted about 100,000. She is hoping to collect even more this year so each of the men and women in uniform will receive one.
And there's been no shortage of notes back from soldiers expressing their gratitude, which keeps Berger motivated to continue the project.
"They say it's their favorite part of the day because it brings them closer to home and how incredible it is to know people in America still care," she said.
The rules for the valentines are simple. They can be store-bought or handmade and addressed to "My Hero," although they don't actually need envelopes or postage.
The valentines can be dropped off at Naper Nuts and Sweets, 10 W. Jefferson Ave., or the Naperville municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St.
Naper Nuts and Sweets owner Dominique Martucci will then ship the valentines overseas with the deliveries of caramel-flavored popcorn dyed red white and blue that she sends twice a month as part of her own project, Operation Caramel Corn.
Martucci started sending the goodies in 2003 after watching parents on the news saying goodbye to their sons and daughters as they shipped off to foreign lands.
She welcomed the collaboration with Berger.
"To see the younger generation like Amy Berger start her own thing and how she's reached out to the troops is a wonderful experience," Martucci said.
She keeps blank cards in her shop for customers who would like to fill them out. While they would like to collect as many valentines as possible before Feb. 14, procrastinators still can turn them in afterward and Martucci will send them with the next shipment of caramel corn.
"Even if it's after Valentine's Day, to a soldier they can get a Valentines' Day card in November and they're thankful," Martucci said.