On Friday Nov. 4, about 300 handmade Remembrance Day cards created by students were sent to local veterans by the 91原创 Volunteer Bureau.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e all been put in the mail,鈥� said Karen Long, president of the volunteer organization.

Long explained the bureau decided to trim the Remembrance Day seniors card list down from last year to focus on veterans, and allow them time to find seniors for the bureau鈥檚 rapidly-growing Christmas card program.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little more practical [in terms of scheduling],鈥滾ong said, and it allows the bureau to go 鈥渇ull-on鈥� with its Christmas card initiative, which has been so successful, it has generated more cards than there are recipients on their list.

鈥淲e need to reach more seniors,鈥� Long explained.

READ ALSO: Sending sunshine to seniors, one card at a time

鈥淭his Christmas will be our third delivery of this program. The first year we provided Christmas cards, we reached 700 seniors and will now extend to over 3,000.鈥�

Which would be a lot, if there weren鈥檛 even more people producing handmade cards.

They are projecting well over 4,000 91原创 students will be personalizing Christmas cards for 91原创 seniors who associate with seniors organizations, live in seniors facilities, and are clients of senior outreach programs, Long said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 popular with the students, with more students and teachers signing up for the program,鈥� Long told the 91原创 Advance Times.

READ ALSO: Personalized cards carry special messages for 91原创 seniors this Christmas

In an effort to find more seniors who might enjoy a personalized, handmade Christmas card this year, the bureau has added online registration.

Anyone can register their family member, friend or neighbour who is a senior and would enjoy receiving a card personalized by a local student in the mail for Christmas or Valentines Day 2023.

The link is at:

While the recipients have to be in 91原创, anyone can make a nomination, from anywhere, to have cards mailed to individual seniors.

鈥淢aybe you live in Ontario, and you think your grandma would like a card,鈥� Long suggested.

If the list can鈥檛 be expanded enough, 鈥渨e鈥檒l give some seniors two cards instead of one,鈥� Long said.

This Christmas, groups will also be able submit their own art work to be printed up on cards.

Each participating group will receive a sign-up sheet to tell the bureau what types of cards, and how many of each, they need.

Available card kits are: blank postcards to decorate and write in, pre-printed postcards to write in, or colouring postcards students can colour.

Each card order comes with an inspiration sheet with ideas to decorate and also for the message itself.

Those who would like to donate to the card program can make contributions either through the 91原创 School District Foundation (specify that it is for the 91原创 Volunteer Bureau鈥檚 Cards for Seniors program) by clicking on or e-transfer: info@langleyvolunteers.ca.