Christmas cards and letters being sent to Canadian troops around the world (Photo Credit: Kate Potter / Facebook)

By Abby Zieverink

Town of Sexsmith

Sexsmith residents send over 700 Christmas cards to troops overseas

Dec 7, 2021 | 6:00 AM

Sexsmith residents have rallied together once again to show love and support for Canadian Armed Forces members serving overseas.

Mayor Kate Potter says with the overwhelming amount of support from the community, they were able to send 713 Christmas cards to troops who are unable to come home for the holidays.

“We send them to a base in Ontario and they split them up to make sure everyone who is serving gets some Christmas cheer,” she explained.

Last year, just over 500 cards were sent to troops overseas.

With this being third consecutive year the town has taken on the initiative to send Christmas cards to Canadian Armed Forces troops, Potter tells EverythingGP it has become a new tradition amongst residents.

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“The town has really taken it on, and I have been just so impressed with the commitment and growth from year to year, we continue to grow in how many cards we send.”

Across the Sexsmith area, students and residents alike combined to make and send cards to the troops, which Potter says includes students right from Kindergarten to High School.

“They (the schools) deliver cards to the town office as we collect them. So probably half of the cards for sure that we get come from the schools, we have youth groups, sometimes other organizations will join in like sports teams, and community groups like 4-H and then individual citizens.”

Potter adds Sexsmith resident Mary Moore ended up sending 120 Christmas Cards this year for troops overseas.

She says the reason they’ve continued with this program the last three years is to help spread holiday cheer to troops across the world.

“For them to recognize the support that comes from the country they are serving is really critical to their wellbeing and morale.”

Potter adds their annual tradition to ship cards to Canadian Armed Forces troops would not be possible without the community support.