Dated March 22, 2001, Azeezaly S. Jaffer, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications wrote The USPS District Managers, Customer Service and Sales Postmasters. The charge was to quadruple their awareness campaign from one week to the full month of April. National Card and Letter Writing Month was born.
Azeezaly wrote: Writing, sending and receiving letters, postcards, and greeting cards is a tradition that has preserved our nation's history and has changed lives-particularly in times of war and times of personal triumph and tragedy. Unlike other communications, card and letter writing is timeless, personal, and immediately tangible.
Card and letter writing also helps improve literacy and promotes creativity among our youth. Starting April 1 the Postal Service is encouraging schools across the country to participate in a special project called, "Birthday Wishes to America," which is a celebration of the nation's 225th birthday on July 4, 2001. Students at hundreds of elementary schools will be designing, writing, and sending birthday wishes that express their personal feelings and hopes for our country.
Azeezaly and the USPS sell stamps as Idea Chic makes and sells postcards and greeting cards. Our shared mission to improve literacy, creativity and wellness goes way beyond what we sell. For me it´s personal.
Looking at the date of this postal bulletin I am brought to tears. I did not know about this campaign at the time but six months later to the day I married my darling bride. Shortly after we wrote thank you notes to our friends and family but they had a different message than most newlywed letters. We thanked our friends and family, especially the travelers, for making it to our special day only 11 days after 9/11.
Only a few years prior to this letter dated March 22, 2001 I think about writing letters to Julie as she traveled the world with Up With People. The internet café was a thing but I was mailing handwritten letters to Julie to arrive in the town she has not yet visited. If Julie traveled the world without me today with all the social media, texting and video tools at our fingertips I would without a shadow of doubt still write and mail those letters to reach her.
Hand write when the correspondence is meaningful. Two people may never forget it. So this month you can participate in the great challenges out there like write_on by Egg Press and Hello Lucky (two greeting card companies we admire). At Idea Chíc, we invite you to start our Card Club. Join us as we seek to bring intentionality back to gratitude. In April, your first month, the four cards you choose are free, free shipping too. We hope it is the beginning of your own commitment on your own terms and if you continue the Card Club membership, well, we think that is great!
- David (+Julie)
You may flip though our card catalog by clinking the image below and when ready join the card club with first month already included by clicking here.