A simple handmade card can mean a lot when home is thousands of miles away.
That idea is at the heart of Healing Art For A Hero’s Heart, a free community art program coming to the Croft Farm Arts Center in Cherry Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Participants will paint “Thank You For Your Service” greeting cards for veterans, deployed troops and active-duty military members.
For Amy Bash, the inspiration behind the program is personal.
In 2019, Bash’s husband was deployed to Kuwait. Recently retired from the military, he had been scheduled to deploy during the first week of December, a time when Bash found herself thinking about everything his unit would miss while serving away from home, especially with heading into the holiday season at the time.
That experience prompted an idea at the Voorhees Arts Center, previously housed in the Voorhees Town Center: Bring people together to paint holiday cards filled with well wishes for service members. What began as one effort soon grew into something much larger.
The program was extended, traveled to different locations and brought together multiple generations of participants. Along the way, it also created opportunities for conversations about what it means for military members to be separated from their families, friends and communities.
“To receive a greeting from afar is really uplifting,” Bash said.
Thousands of homemade cards have since been hand delivered or mailed in care packages. Some have been dropped off at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, while community members have also provided specific contacts for service members who could receive the cards.
The program is designed not only to show gratitude but also to give different generations an opportunity to learn from one another and reflect on military service.
At the Oct. 13 event, participants will learn watercolor painting techniques and write encouraging messages of gratitude. They can choose from provided templates or create their own artwork.
The program is completely free, with all supplies included. Ideas for both artwork and messages will be available to help participants get started, and the cards are nondenominational so they can be shared with service members from a variety of backgrounds.
A special element will accompany the finished cards. Stars For Our Heroes, made from actual American flags, will be included with each card. Military members who participate in the workshop will also receive a star.
The workshop is open to ages 8 through adult, continuing the program’s tradition of bringing generations together through art, conversation and appreciation for those who serve.
Two sessions will be offered at Croft Farm Arts Center: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Registration is required, and space is limited. Completed cards will be distributed to veterans and service members, including those with ties to South Jersey communities.
For Bash, the cards are a small gesture capable of carrying a meaningful message across the miles: The communities service members leave behind are still thinking of them.
