Postcards of Thanks

Gerry Amiro served in Europe during the Second World War. He was wounded in 1945 in Germany and sent home to Yarmouth aboard a hospital-ship.

A half-century later, in late November 1998, Mr. Amiro received a postcard in the mail from a student at the Maple Grove Education Centre. The card read: "As Christmas draws near, the gifts I will receive cannot compare to the gift you have given all of us - the gift of freedom."

Mr. Amiro was touched by the sentiment. "It was very special and gave me a good feeling," he said. "Even though I got the postcard last year, it continues to be sentimental for me."

The postcard was part of a provincewide initiative called the Postcards of Thanks program. Organized for Veterans Week in November 1998, the purpose of the program was to recognize veterans while personalizing history for a new generation of Nova Scotians.

Through the program, each student was given a card and encouraged to write to a veteran in their community about their military service. More than 17,000 cards were mailed over several weeks. In addition, teachers taught students of the sacrifices veterans made for Canada, with the aid of lesson plans that accompanied the postcards.

"It was a great program," said Frank Barteaux, executive director of the Nova Scotia School Boards Association. "It provided an opportunity for the kids to be directly involved -- to express what they feel about the lessons they have learned in school."

The benefits to veterans were equally important. Christie Bishop, co-ordinator of the Postcards of Thanks program, said veterans' groups across the province expressed gratitude. "Many veterans said that they had never been thanked for their service," said Ms. Bishop. "They felt that this is something that should have been done a long time ago."

The Postcards of Thanks program was organized by the House of Assembly's standing committee on veterans affairs, an all-party panel of MLAs. The Royal Canadian Legion and the Nova Scotia School Boards Association paired schools with legions in their area. The postcards were donated by Veterans Affairs Canada and sponsorship from Irving, TRA Maritime, the Royal Bank and Olands/Labatts Breweries covered the cost of postage. "It was a remarkable effort of co-operation," said Ms. Bishop.

Volunteers also donated time to the project. "Many senior citizens from my community, in Digby, came into the office to help me wrap the postcards," said Ms. Bishop. "It took us three days to get everything packaged and ready to go to school boards across the province."

The Postcards of Thanks program will be repeated this year if the $6,000 necessary for postage can be secured. "Postage is the only issue that needs to be resolved if the program is to be repeated," said Ms. Bishop. "The generous donations from our corporate sponsors were fundamental to last year's success."

Ms. Bishop believes that the project was worth the time and effort that she, and others, committed. "We take for granted the freedoms we enjoy today," she said. "Veterans put their lives on hold -- they gave away their youth. They need to be recognized and thanked for their service."

Mr. Amiro agrees the project was valuable. "I think it is a great thing that students are involved for Veterans Week," he said. "Veterans appreciate their efforts. It has produced a spark among us at the legion."