Valentines send joy from community to kids, vets, seniors

Published 10:53 pm Wednesday, February 3, 2016

By Augusta Robinson, augustarobinson@tylerpaper.com

On-air personality Mike Harper, left, and volunteer Jaden Brock staff the annual KVNE/KGLY Valentine Drive tent on Friday at the McDonalds restaurant on U.S. Hwy. 64 at Loop 223 in Tyler. The radio stations are collecting Valentines for children in the hospital and seniors in assisted living settings through Feb. 9. Fletcher Jonson, promotions and outreach coordinator for the radio stations, expect to deliver more than 1,300 bags of Valentines, or upwards of 25,000, this year. Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph

Jill Smith, director of community connections at local Christian radio stations 89.5 KVNE and 91.3 KGLY, has seen the effect a simple, made-from-scratch Valentine’s Day card can have on someone.

Mrs. Smith said that over about the last 10 years the stations have collected handmade Valentine’s Day cards that have been delivered to East Texas kids who are in the hospital, seniors and assisted living residents and to veteran’s centers.

“To you and I it’s just a card,” but not to the people that get it,” Mrs. Smith said.

This year the stations are continuing their tradition of spreading joy through the cards and are currently collecting them at 22 locations all across East Texas.

Last year Mrs. Smith said the station collected around 22,000 cards, enough for each recipient to receive several, and they hope to deliver even more cards this year.



Many of the cards are decorated with an array of materials such as glitter and markers. Those who create cards are encouraged to include words of encouragement, Bible verses, or any uplifting words.

Cards also include the first name of the person who created them and their age and the organization they are representing, if applicable. Candy is not allowed in the cards because not all recipients are able to enjoy it.

Volunteers personally deliver each bag of cards to recipients. Mrs. Smith said that this is a special way that they show God’s love. She also said the cards are very special to recipients and some keep their cards for a long time.

“We had the same lady at one of the senior centers that we went to and she was in the bed just the sweetest women,” Mrs. Smith said. “When we came back the next year she had the valentines from the year before up on her wall.”

Fletcher Jonson is promotions and outreach coordinator at 89.5 KVNE and 91.3 KGLY. He said that every card is special because so many people are involved with creating them.

He also said the cards show recipients how special they are to the people of East Texas.

“It’s always so important for us a as people of Christ to always be showing his love,” Jonson said. “With these cards they know there are people all across East Texas who love them.”

 

How to give

Everyone, including schools classes, groups and families are encouraged to get involved in making the handmade valentine cards.

Those who donate the cards at one of the 22 drop off locations in East Texas are instructed not to include candy in their cards.  Cards will be accepted until Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Those who make the cards should include their first name only and their age and group if applicable.

Fletcher said that each drop off location has a designated area where cards can be dropped off.

Drop off locations include:

 

Collection Site                             Address                           City               Zip Code

89.5 KVNE / 91.3 KGLY Studio   7695 Old Jacksonville Hwy. Tyler                 75703           

 

Lifeway (TYR)                           5510 S. Broadway Ave.       Tyler                75703          

 

Grounds for Justice                   2318 E 5th St.                    Tyler                75701           

 

Mommy & Me                          101 E. 9th St.                      Tyler                75702           

 

Chick-Fil-A                              5716 S. Broadway Ave.         Tyler                75703           

 

Chick-Fil-A                              4601 S. Broadway Ave.         Tyler                75703           

 

Chick-Fil-A (TYR)                     3830 Troup Hwy.                  Tyler                75703           

 

The Scroll Christian Bookstore   2209 S. Broadway               Tyler                75701           

 

McDonald’s                             3109 Gentry                        Tyler                75702           

 

McDonald’s                            1300 Beckham Ave.               Tyler               75701           

 

McDonald’s                             2705 E. 5th St.                    Tyler                75701           

 

McDonald’s                             3820 TX-64                         Tyler               75702           

 

The Almond Tree                    201 Winchester Dr.                Tyler               75701           

 

Meadow Lake Senior Living      16044 CR 165                      Tyler               75703           

 

Marc Bailey Photography         102 Commander Dr.             Longview           75605           

 

Lifeway                           3092 N. Eastman Rd Suite 103    Longview          75605           

 

Chick-Fil-A                               1740 W. Loop 281              Longview          75604           

 

Chick-Fil-A (LGV)                      507 E. Loop 281                Longview          75605           

 

Front Porch                             15693 State 322 N             Longview         75603           

 

Denny’s                                   100 US-79                        Henderson        75652          

 

Dogwood Hills Baptist Church    3400 U.S. 79                     Palestine          75801   

        

McCann Insurance                     105 ACR 145                    Palestine          75801           

 

Twitter:@TMT_Augusta

 

 

 

 

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