He’s best known in Hollywood for his roles in “Mary Tyler Moore” and “Lou Grant,” but to thousands of U.S. service men and women serving overseas Ed Asner is better known for his role as a holiday goodwill ambassador.
The actor is rallying the “troops” (you, me and the rest of the nation) to help make this holiday a bit brighter for American troops stationed abroad, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. Asner is asking all of us to take part in a national “Cards for Troops” campaign:
“During the holiday season there’s no better way to lift the troops’ spirits than to send them cards and letters carrying warm wishes from home,” said the 77-year-old Emmy-winning actor as he visited two military hospitals in the Washington area this week.
Basically, Asner is trying to encourage all Americans to write out a few extra greeting cards this holiday season and send them to troops overseas. The actor told reporters gathered for a news conference kicking off the “Cards for Troops” campaign that the simple gesture is the least American citizens can do to extend their thanks “to the unwavering dedication of the men and women who willing put themselves in harm’s way to defend our country’s freedom.”
The holiday card campaign is part of a promotional event the Hallmark Channel is running to advertise its upcoming movie, “The Christmas Card,” in which Asner co-stars. The made-for-TV-movie is about a career soldier based in Afghanistan who receives an anonymous holiday card and is so touched by the encouraging words that he travels to meet the sender and ultimately falls in love with her.
Asner told reporters that he and the movie’s cast helped in the packaging of more than 17,000 care boxes to be sent to U.S. troops overseas. Personally, I think the Christmas card campaign is a great project for kids to get in on. In a previous blog I listed some ways all of us could give back to the community this holiday season—this card idea should certainly be added to the list.
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